Former deputy governor of Ondo State, Hon. Ajayi Agboola, has been elected the governorship candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) for the November 16, 2024 governorship election in the State.
Ajayi served as deputy governor to late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in his first tenure in office from 2016 to 2020 before they fell out.
He polled 264 votes to defeat other aspirants, including a former House of Representatives member, Hon. Kolade Akinjo, who came second with 157 votes.
Also, a former commissioner for the Environment, Chief Ebiseni Olusola, trailed behind with 99 votes, while Engr. Adeolu Akinwumi polled 64 votes to come third and fourth, respectively.
Otunba Bamidele Akingboye got 24 votes, while 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 10am 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.
