Ayodele Fayose, a former Ekiti State Governor, on Thursday declared his 2023 presidential bid.
In a statement he personally signed, the former governor also dismissed reports on the endorsement of his Anambra State counterpart, Peter Obi, and the South-East for the presidency next year.
He said: “Report credited to me that I endorsed Peter Obi for President and zoning of the Presidency to the South-East is false.
“No doubt, I have great respect for Peter Obi as a leader and I respect his aspiration, but at no point did I endorse his presidential ambition or that the presidency be zoned to South-East.
“Rather, my take is that the presidency be zoned to the Southern part of Nigeria.
“May I also state clearly that I will be seeking the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest the next presidential election.”
The development has swelled the number of politicians eyeing the PDP presidential ticket ahead of next year’s election.
The aspirants include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, among others.