Kennedy Iyere, the governorship candidate of the Accord Party, has officially withdrawn from the upcoming 2024 Edo governorship election.
ElNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Iyere explained in a statement on Friday that his desire to serve Nigeria at a higher level and address the most pressing social and economic challenges, particularly the food crisis, was the reason he withdrew from the contest.
Iyere also highlighted that internal party conflicts played a major role in his withdrawal, explicitly highlighting a recent cconspiracy involving his running mate, Bright Enabulele, who allegedly attempted to undermine his candidacy.
Iyere, however, urged voters in Edo State to be peaceful and vote according to their conscience, stressing the importance of equitable rotation of power among the three senatorial districts.
Looking ahead, the gubernatorial candidate stressed the need for social intervention programs aimed at engaging and deradicalizing youth, adding that he is committed to focusing on national development and helping the federal government create a roadmap for economic inclusion.
He said, “My aim is no longer to occupy the office of governor, but to occupy a higher and more important office than that of governor. I want to serve Nigerians in general, not just Edo indigenes. I want to help rebuild Nigeria’s lost economic greatness.
“Being a governor will impose limitations on me, so when I saw the conspiracies that Enabulele and some leaders of the Accord Party deployed at the state level, I knew it was time for me to accept a higher calling, which was to improve my performance at the federal level, where I am currently contributing greatly with my efforts to national development.
“I am helping the federal government design a roadmap for economic inclusion, participation, self-emancipation and deradicalization of youth by designing and promoting social intervention programs that aim to mitigate unemployment and improve entrepreneurial opportunities for youth and women for massive self-employment, wealth creation and poverty alleviation.
“These programmes will become fully operational by October 2024 and Nigeria will be back on track for rapid economic recovery. Our intervention programmes will enhance opportunities for youth engagement in entrepreneurship across multiple sectors, especially agriculture, food and beverages, technology, entertainment, innovation and creativity.
“Over six million young and women entrepreneurs (as owners and operators of MSMEs) will be created or established in the first year of the official launch of this entrepreneurship programme. Nigerian youth and women lack access to the entrepreneurial capital needed to start a new business or manage an existing one. This programme will directly address that critical need.”
