Edo: Candidate Steps Down, Gives Reason

Comrade Kennedy Iyere, the Accord candidate for the Edo State governorship election, has officially withdrawn from the race just hours before the election.

Iyere made the announcement, explaining that his decision to step down as the Accord candidate stems from a desire to tackle broader national challenges, particularly the rising issues of food insecurity and economic hardship affecting millions of Nigerians.

GWG.ng reports that the campaign by Iyere has faced numerous obstacles, including internal party strife. His running mate, Bright Enabulele, and other party members attempted to undermine his candidacy, with Enabulele presenting himself as the party’s gubernatorial candidate, despite official government records affirming Iyere as the nominee.

Edo State voters are set to head to the polls on Saturday, September 21, 2024, to elect a successor to current governor Godwin Obaseki, who will complete his eight-year tenure on November 12. The leading candidates in the race include Asue Ighodalo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party.

In a statement, Iyere emphasized that his focus has shifted away from the governorship race to a larger, national role where he believes he can make a more significant impact. He urged Edo voters to support a candidate from the Edo Central Senatorial District, advocating for power rotation after 24 years of waiting.

“My focus is no longer on the governorship seat but on a higher and bigger portfolio than a Governor. I want to serve Nigerians at large, not just Edo indigenes. I want to help rebuild Nigeria’s lost economic greatness,” Iyere said.

He explained that serving as governor would limit his ability to address Nigeria’s pressing economic and social issues on a larger scale. Instead, Iyere has shifted his efforts to collaborating with the federal government to devise strategies for economic development, unemployment reduction, and youth engagement.

Iyere’s current work involves designing and implementing social intervention programs aimed at tackling unemployment and providing entrepreneurial opportunities for Nigerian youth and women. These programs, set to officially launch in October 2024, will focus on self-employment, wealth creation, and poverty alleviation across multiple sectors, including agriculture, technology, and entertainment.

According to Iyere, the initiative aims to produce over six million youth and women entrepreneurs within the first year of its rollout. The program will provide much-needed business capital to support young and female entrepreneurs in starting or scaling their ventures, addressing a critical gap in access to financial resources for Nigeria’s aspiring business owners.

“Our intervention programmes will enhance opportunities for youth entrepreneurship engagement in multiple sectors, especially agriculture, food and beverage, technology, entertainment, innovation, and creativity,” Iyere noted, expressing confidence that these initiatives will place Nigeria back on the path to rapid economic recovery.

As the Edo State election looms, Iyere’s decision to step aside and focus on national issues has shifted the political landscape, with many now watching to see how his federal-level efforts will impact Nigeria’s ongoing social and economic challenges.
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