The erstwhile governorship candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede, has resigned his membership of the party.
Jegede, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), conveyed his resignation in a letter dated August 7, 2026.
A copy of the letter, obtained by The Nation, was addressed to the Chairman of Ward 11, Owode/Imagun Ward, Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State, Mr Fabiyi Kole Adewale.
In the letter titled: ‘Resignation’, Jegede said his decision to quit the PDP was effective immediately.
‘Kindly take this as a formal notice of my resignation as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, effective immediately,’ he wrote.
Jegede, a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice under ex-Governor Olusegun Mimiko, was the PDP’s governorship candidate in the 2016 and 2020 elections, where he challenged the late former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He lost the two election exercise to the late Governor Akeredolu.
Confirming his resignation, Jegede said his next political movement would soon be announced.
‘Yes, I can confirm my resignation from the PDP. I will also let you know my next political movement,’ he told our reporter.
Jegede’s resignation from the opposition PDP comes some months after his core loyalists quit the PDP and defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The loyalists were led by Balarabe Abiodun Akinwunmi, a known associate of Jegede, who is aligning with the Atiku Abubakar led coalition-backed ADC.
Akinwumi is now candidate of the ADC for the Akure North/Akure South Federal Constituency seat in the 2027 general election.
Sources revealed that Jegede would soon announce his official defection to ADC in his bid to contest the 2028 governorship election in Ondo State.
The development is coming amid the ongoing political alignment of opposition politicians ahead of the 2027 general election.
The ADC has been attracting prominent politicians and former members of opposition parties as part of efforts to build a stronger political platform ahead of the 2027 elections.
Jegede’s move is expected to further reshape the political landscape of Ondo State, particularly within the opposition camp ahead of the 2027 elections.
The development comes amid continuing concerns over the crisis and weakening structure of the PDP in the state, with some of its members and supporters already moving towards the ADC.