Governorship candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in Ondo State Agboola Ajayi did not partake in the governorship debate held on Sunday in Akure.
The debate was organised by media organisations, labour unions, civil societies, religious bodies and other critical stakeholders in the state.
This was the second time Ajayi was shunning a debate after he failed to participate at one held virtually by BBC News Yoruba and its partners in September.
Agboola, who is the currently deputy governor, decamped to ZLP from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest the governorship election.
The debate moderator Akinwumi Abodunde said four political parties were invited for the debate, but only three parties were present at the programme.
Meanwhile, Eyitayo Jegede of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came an hour behind the scheduled time.
The moderator grilled the three governorship candidates on leadership, economy, agriculture, health, education, infrastructure, election security and insecurity.
Akeredolu, while responding to the questions, denied the allegation of running a family government, saying that he ran a transparent government.
“Let anybody that has evidence that anyone of my family is a consultant in the government come out. We will sue anyone that lies against my family,’’ he said.
Jegede promised to run a transparent government if elected, cautioning his supporters against violence during the polls.
“I plead with our young men not to go near violence, and our leaders must discourage violence,’’ Jegede said.
Similarly, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Peter Fasua urged the youths not to die for any politician in the name of an election.
