Ondo Governorship Race now for akeredolu’s deputies

With the emergence of the former deputy governor of Ondo State,  Agboola Ajayi, as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the November 16, 2024 governorship election in the state, the race is now between Late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s former deputies.

Recall that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who was deputy to Akeredolu until his death, won the Ondo All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election held.

The deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who chaired the electoral committee that supervised the primary poll, announced the results yesterday in Akure, the state capital.

Ewhrudjakpo declared Ajayi who served as deputy governor under the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in his first tenure in office from 2016 to 2020 before they fell out as the winner of the keenly contested exercise.

Ajayi polled 264 votes to defeat the other six aspirants, including a former House of Representatives member, Hon. Kolade Akinjo, who came second with 157 votes.

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Also, the former secretary-general of the Pan Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, and former commissioner for the environment, Chief Sola Ebiseni, came third in the contest, with 99 votes

While Engr. Adeolu Akinwumi polled 64 votes to come fourth, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye got 24 votes.

A former commissioner for information in the state, John Ola Mafo, got nine votes and Bosun Arebuwa polled two votes in the exercise held on Thursday.

The election was keenly contested among the seven aspirants, and no fewer than 621 delegates from the 18 local government areas of the state participated in the shadow election.

The accreditation of the delegates commenced around 10 am while the delegates started to cast their votes around 2 m at the main auditorium of the International Event Centre, Akure, the Ondo State capital.

There was a heavy presence of armed security men from the State’s Police Command, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) at the venue.

The officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also present to monitor the primary election.

Earlier, the chairman of the seven-man Primary Election Committee and the Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo had assured the aspirants of free fair, credible elections.