The governorship candidate of the Accord Party, Mr Kennedy Iyere, has officially withdrawn from the 2024 Edo Gubernatorial election.
Giving reasons for the withdrawal, Iyere cited the need to serve Nigeria at a higher level and wider space, leveraging his expertise to address the country's social and economic challenges, particularly the food and hunger crisis.
He had previously presented a multi-billion dollar food intervention program, 'Food4All Initiative,' to President Tinubu, aiming to achieve food security and mass employment for youths and women through the "One-Family-One-Farmer Scheme."
he also explained that his decision to step down was also influenced by internal party conflicts, including a conspiracy involving his running mate, Bright Enabulele, who allegedly attempted to overturn his candidacy.
He, however, urged eligible voters in Edo State to shun violence and vote their conscience, emphasizing the need for equitable power rotation among the three Senatorial Districts.
According to him, he will focus on national development, assisting the federal government in devising a roadmap for economic inclusion, engagement, and deradicalization of youths through social intervention programmes
Iyere said his alignment with the Federal Government is driven by a selfless desire to serve humanity through public service, rather than partisan politics.
He said: "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 and not just Edo indigenes. I want to help rebuild Nigeria's lost economic greatness.
"Serving as a Governor will actually place limitations on me. So, when I saw the plots displayed by Enabulele and some leaders of Accord Party at the State Level, then I knew it was time for me to embrace a higher calling, which was to step up my game to the federal level where I am presently hugely contributing my efforts towards national development.
"I am assisting the federal government to devise a road map for the economic inclusion, engagement, self-emancipation and deradicalisation of youths by designing and driving social intervention programmes that aim to mitigate unemployment and enhance youth and women entrepreneurial opportunities for mass self-employment, wealth creation and poverty alleviation.
"These programmes will fully kick-start in the month of October 2024 and Nigeria will be placed yet again on the pathway of rapid economic recovery. Our intervention programmes will enhance opportunities for youth entrepreneurship engagement in multiple sectors, especially agriculture, food and beverage, technology, entertainment, innovation and creativity.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"More than six million youth and women entrepreneurs (as MSME owners and operators) shall be created or produced within the first one year of the official kick-off of this entrepreneurship programme. Nigerian youths and women lack access to the business capital required as entrepreneurs to either start up a new business or operate an existing business. This programme will squarely address that essential need."
