Baillie, 44, was chief of staff to premier John Hamm. (CBC)

Jamie Baillie, a businessman and long-time party insider, is the uncontested candidate for leader of the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative party.

The deadline to declare a candidacy for the leadership was 5 p.m. Monday, and Baillie, who officially announced his interest in the position in June, was the only person to enter.

"Far from being disappointed that I don't have opponents, I just want everyone to know that it is important work, that I believe in it," he said at a press conference Monday evening. "I can only speak for myself, but I believe in it."

The 44-year-old Truro native is a former chief of staff to premier John Hamm. He is currently the president of Credit Union Atlantic and has never held elected office.

Baillie said he wants to restore accountability to government and expand the power of the province's auditor general.

"I am convinced that we are going down the wrong road with the NDP government, and I have some sense of a better way," he said.

He said he will decide soon whether to run in the electoral district of Cumberland South. That district's longtime Conservative MLA, Murray Scott, recently announced his retirement.

The Progressive Conservatives are currently Nova Scotia's third party, holding only eight of the legislature's 52 seats.

Despite there being only one candidate, the party said it will proceed with a planned leadership convention in late October.