Last Minute Negotiation Between Jegede, Ajayi Collapses |The Source

By Ayodele Oni

There are indications that a merger plan between Mr Eyitayo Jegede,SAN, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) and Agboola Ajayi, of the Zenith Labour Party, (ZLP) has, finally hit the rock.

Last minutes pressure was mounted on Ajayi between Wednesday and Thursday to collapse his structure and team up with the PDP candidate, in a move seen as a plot to defeat the incumbent governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.

Akeredolu, the candidate of All Progressives Congress, (APC), is seeking re-election for a second term in office.

It was learnt that two prominent traditional rulers, a chieftain of ZLP and former governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko and the top echelon of the PDP were involved in the marriage plan,  but it could not materialize.

Early morning on Thursday, a former House of Representative member, Chief Joseph Adelaja, and ZLP chieftain, was the first to announce that the deputy governor has not stepped down for anybody.

Also later, the PDP candidate issued a statement confirming that he is still in the race.

A statement by the campaign organization, stated that “In a desperate move to deceive the general public, some dubious individuals are circulating falsehood that the PDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, has collapsed his structure. This is a lie from the pit of hell, created and existing in the imagination of day dreamers and enemies of Ondo State.

“In the last 72 hours, Eyitayo Jegede has received support from 11 out of the 16 other governorship candidates who collapsed their structures for him and the PDP. He has signed the Peace Accord confirming commitment to a violence-free election.

“Eyitayo Jegede is not only in the race, he remains the candidate to beat.”