Governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State have refused entreaties by some leaders in Abuja to step down for Deputy Governor, Hon Agboola Ajayi.
Hon Ajayi is expected to resign this week and officially pitch tent with the PDP.
His spokesman, Babatope Okeowo, said there was no constitutional provision his boss must resign to contest for any position whether in the PDP or the APC.
Checks showed that many PDP aspirants like Banji Okunomo, Elder Eddy Olafeso, Eyitayo Jegede have picked the party’s nomination forms.
Okunomo told reporters that he would not step down for any aspirant.
It was however gathered the permutation by some chieftains is to field Ajayi as running mate to Jegede if the push for others to step down fails.
Sources however said Ajayi has secretly obtained the PDP governorship form and opened to any option made available for him.
According to a PDP chieftain, who pleaded anonymity: “We are waiting for them as all their plans to pair Jegede and Agboola Ajayi is already on the cards.
“Don’t forget that we all resisted the initial plan of the national leadership to give the deputy Governor an automatic ticket.
“From what we are getting now, the same elements who are bent on controlling our party from outside want to bring Agboola inboard at all costs.
“The question we are asking is what is the reason for this desperation by Agboola. Here is a man who wanted to be governor and that ambition made him to fall apart with Akeredolu.
“Are they saying those of us who have built this party since inception are fools? “The man went to APC and worked against us assiduously which led to our failure in 2016; how sure are we that there won’t be a crisis as a result of his inordinate ambition soon after the election?
“What suddenly happened to the hyped slogan of Ondo South for Governor which was the driving force for some southern gladiators to join him in the defection plan from APC.”