Rob Lantz officially resigned as Prince Edward Island’s 34th premier Thursday night and announced his bid for the permanent leadership of the province’s Progressive Conservative Party.

“It’s been the honour of my life to serve Islanders as premier,” Lantz said during the announcement in Charlottetown.

“This province has given me every opportunity I’ve ever had. That’s why I care so much about it’s future.”

Lantz made the announcement in front of a group of supporters and flanked by the PC caucus at the Delta Prince Edward, one day after the P.E.I. PC Party announced the date for its leadership convention, which will be held Feb. 7 at the Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown.

Under the PC Party constitution, Lantz had to resign as interim leader within 10 days of the leadership convention announcement in order to be eligible to run.  

Lantz had been the interim leader of the PC Party and the province’s premier since February, when former premier Dennis King resigned.

Since then, he has given mixed signals on whether he would seek the permanent leadership.

Speaking to reporters Thursday night, Lantz said he only made the decision to run on Monday after the byelection in District 2, Georgetown-Pownal. PC candidate Brendan Curran won that seat, overcoming P.E.I. Liberal Leader Robert Mitchell in a nail-biter.

“I made the decision 100 per cent on Monday after the byelection that, yeah, I think Islanders still have confidence in this government and I want to have a role in that,” Lantz said.

However, he said he’s been speaking with Islanders, party members and the PC caucus “for months” about running.

“It’s hard to consider making a decision like this when you’re so focused on the work at hand and the responsibility of being premier.”

Lantz also confirmed Thursday that the province’s 35th premier will be current deputy premier Bloyce Thompson, who will be sworn in Friday afternoon. Thompson is also the minister of justice and public safety and minister of agriculture.

He will become the province’s third premier in a single year.

2 declared candidates

With Lantz throwing his hat in the ring, there are now two candidates in the leadership race. The other is lawyer Mark Ledwell, who put his name forward in May. 

When asked whether he has an unfair advantage over Ledwell, Lantz said definitely not.

“I have been focused on nothing but doing the job of premier, I haven’t been campaigning. You know, Mark Ledwell’s got quite a head start,” he said.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, I would suggest that we’re running from behind.”

CBC News has learned that most of the current PC MLAs will back Lantz, while many politicians from from former premier Pat Binns’s era, are supporting Ledwell. They include Binns himself, former environment minister Jamie Ballem and former PC interim leader Jamie Fox.

The deadline for candidates to enter the leadership contest is Dec. 24. Party officials have said they expect a “competitive race.”

The party plans three public forums, one in each county, beginning in mid-January.