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Ondo State Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi has said he is ready to join other qualified aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to participate in its primary election fixed for July 22.
This followed his resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in his hometown of Kiribo under Ese Odo Local Government Area of the state to join the PDP.
He also denied reports he has been adopted by PDP National Working Committee (NWC) as the sole governorship candidate of the party.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Babatope Okeowo in Akure on Sunday, Ajayi said he will not fall into any blackmail by agents of the government trying to create enmity among members of the PDP.
“The PDP has not imposed any candidate on the party in Ondo State and the party is also not interested in the imposition of candidates for elections,” he said.
“The deputy governor will go to the primary with other qualified members of the party, who have shown interest in the governorship ticket of the party.
“Even as a democrat, Ajayi will not subscribe to any imposition of a candidate and would not do anything to undermine the peaceful atmosphere that attracted him to the PDP.”
The Ondo Deputy Governor said that although he had left the APC, he was still deputy governor of the state and would not resign his position.
“My people that voted for me did not ask me to resign, so I remain the deputy governor of this state. I was duly elected as a deputy governor,” he said.
“It is a painful thing that I am leaving the APC, but there is time for everything. As a Nigerian, I have the fundamental freedom to belong to any party or group.
“Like I said earlier, everybody all over the world knows why I left the APC. Some hours ago, you all know what happened to me at the Government House but I am a man of peace.”
The PDP Ward Chairman, Festus Oboro who received Ajayi into the party, said his coming would further strengthen the group in the state ahead of the governorship election.
Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar also welcomed the deputy governor to the PDP fold, noting that its umbrella is and sturdy enough to accommodate democrats desirous of change..
“I welcome Ondo State Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, to our great party @OfficialPDPNig. Our repositioned party’s umbrella is big and sturdy enough to accommodate democrats desirous of an indeed people’s oriented change,” Atiku tweeted on Sunday.
In his reaction to the confrontation with Ajayi and the Ondo police commissioner, he said “security agents should not be encouraged to clampdown or intimidate citizens on account of their political party preferences”.
Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi is the latest eminent leader to defect to the main opposition PDP from the APC, after Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki.
