Comrade Kennedy Iyere, Accord Party’s governorship candidate, has officially withdrawn from the 2024 Edo Gubernatorial Race.

Iyere cited the need to serve Nigeria at a higher level, addressing social and economic challenges, particularly the food and hunger crisis.

He had presented a multi-billion dollar food intervention program, “Food4All Initiative,” to President Tinubu.

According to him, internal party conflicts, including a conspiracy involving his running mate, Bright Enabulele, also influenced his decision.

Iyere urged Edo voters to shun violence and vote their conscience, emphasising equitable power rotation among Senatorial Districts.

Iyere enjoined eligible voters in Edo State to shun violence and vote their conscience.

He stressed on the need to cast their votes for candidates from Edo Central noting that it would only be ideal to have a Governor from Edo Central Senatorial District, after 24 years of waiting.

Iyere said that his alignment with the Federal Government is borne of the selfless desire to serve humanity through public service and not anything to do with partisan politics.

He added that he will focus on national development, assisting the federal government in devising economic inclusion and youth engagement programmes.

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.

“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.” Iyere said