The Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee in the Southwest, Mr. Dayo Ogungbenro, has dismissed insinuations in political quarters that some governors elected on the platform of the party are supporting the candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Mr. Agboola Ajayi.
Ajayi, the deputy governor, defected to the PDP from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of its primaries, but promptly dumped the party (PDP) after being defeated by Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), in a primary adjudged as credible and fair.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Ibadan, Oyo State, the PDP bigwig challenged the writers of what he called misleading reports to provide evidence that any PDP governor was backing Ajayi for the Ondo top job.
He said: “PDP will never work with a renegade and political turncoat whose ambition is not grounded in reality. It is a mark of hypocrisy for those who cannot abide by the result of a demonstrably free and fair governorship primary to be planting fake news in the media suggesting that they are being sponsored by PDP governors in other states.
“For the avoidance of doubt, PDP governors, members in Ondo State and the good people of the state are behind the candidate of our party and incoming governor of Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN). They are doing everything within their power and within the laws of the land to ensure that he emerges the governor. This is the reality.”
Ogungbenro said when Ajayi came calling, the party opened its door to him, thinking he would add value to it, not knowing that he was a sly and a desperate politician.
He said Ajayi had spent barely five weeks in the party before he jumped ship, adding that PDP governors would never support such a character who betrayed the confidence reposed in him.
“We broke rules to accommodate him and gave him delegates so that he could have a sense of belonging. But it has become clear that those kind gestures have given him a false sense of political importance.
“If he had genuine intentions, he would have stayed put after losing out in a free and fair primary. Throwing around the names of PDP governors as being purportedly behind such a sinking candidate is an affront not only to our party, but also the electorate,” he said.