PDP governors, leaders eyeing Ondo governorship seat

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors are strategising to halt the gale of defections that has hit the opposition party, it was learnt on Sunday.

The governors have resolved to throw their weight behind Ondo State PDP governorship candidate, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), in his legal battle to upturn the victory of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN).

Jegede lost at both the election tribunal and the Appeal Court. The matter is now before the Supreme Court.

Three PDP governors – David Umahi (Ebonyi), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last few months. There are speculations that more may still defect.

Miffed by the defections, the PDP governors are said to have buried their hatchets to put their house in order ahead of 2023. A Southsouth governor is leading the charge to take over what a source described as the ‘leg work’ as the apex court determines the case between Akeredolu and Jegede.

It was gathered that the moves by the governor had prompted the Ondo State chapter of the PDP to repudiate a statement from the Southwest zonal Publicity Secretary, Sanya Atofaratari, which took a swipe at the judiciary. Ondo PDP spokesman, Kennedy Ikantu Peretei, also said the party never authorised the statement.

During his recent visit to the Southsouth governor, the PDP candidate discussed with him details of the pending case.

According to a source, the meeting was attended by Jegede’s key counsel. The lawyer pleaded with the governor to ‘forgive’ Jegede and intervene. In the run up to the PDP presidential primary, the governor and Jegede were in opposing camps. The governor was non-committal to the party in the Ondo governorship election.

But, the source who is a member of the PDP national executive committee, said all issues arising from the presidential primary that prompted the frosty relationship between the governor and Jegede were resolved last week.

“Truly, there was no love lost between the governor and our Ondo candidate; but it appears all issues have been resolved because the governor had already invited Jegede to brief him on the Ondo case that is already before the Supreme Court.

"Be reminded that when it comes to the court in such political matters, issues can be resolved politically; and that is what we are working towards rather than the legal issues. The people the governor of Ondo is fighting will not mind sacrificing him for any party and we shall benefit.

“There must be a PDP before they come for the ticket. So, they have also resolved to put their past behind and push for a good landing for the Ondo candidate because already, we are depleting and there is no need to be pretentious about this. So, if we can have Ondo for the party, it will boost our ego and chances in 2023,” he said.