An epic battle is taking place in Ondo State ahead of the governorship election with the emergence of two former deputy governors to the late Rotimi Akeredolu, Agboola Ajayi and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
The political atmosphere in the Sunshine State was overshadowed by the antics of the state’s political class, causing pundits to predict a chaotic primary election, especially for the leading political parties, ahead of the governorship election to be held on November 16, this year.
Evidently, the election has since shaped up to be a straight battle between the ruling All Progressives Congress and the major opposition, the People’s Democratic Party.
The primary elections of the parties have come and gone but rancorous outcomes have set an uphill task for their candidates.
Although some relatively smaller parties conducted rancour-free primaries, commentators maintain that only a major upset would make any of them win the election.
However, the outcome of the primaries in APC and PDP appears to have complicated internal crises within their folds before the party elections.
APC
The incumbent, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, won the APC primary election held on April 20. He clinched the ticket by amassing a total of 48,569 votes. His closest contender, Mayowa Akinfolarin, trailed with 15,343 votes, while Chief Olusola Oke secured the third position with 14,865 votes.
The announcement was made by the chairman of the Governorship Primary Election Committee and Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo.
Ododo, while describing the primaries as a rigorous contest, said it was held across the 18 council areas of the state, and that party members and supporters participated.
However, the party’s returning officer for the local government, Oliver Okpala, said there were no results from the Ifedore local government area because the exercise was violently disrupted by thugs.
He said they escaped from the community following plans by thugs to attack them.
“There was shooting and violence when we came and the voters were scattered and returned to their homes for fear of being attacked.
“There was no election in the local government because we had to leave and I recorded zero for all the aspirants,” Okpala said.
“Some allude to the fact that the incumbent governor, Aiyedatiwa has stepped on many toes in the last few months. Therefore, Aiyedatiwa, apart from being confronted by PDP and Agboola Ajayi, may face some gang-up within his party, the APC, especially loyalists of Akeredolu”
Violence was also reported in the Ilaje local government area where an electoral officer and a commissioner were abducted by hoodlums. They were later released following efforts by security agencies.
Despite the violent incidents, Ododo said reports from the field revealed that the primary election went on peacefully, and that votes were counted and recorded.
“By the power conferred on the committee, and in line with APC guidelines for the nomination of the candidate of the party in the general election, I Ahmed Usman Ododo, Governor of Kogi State and the Chairman of the Committee and the Returning Officer of the Ondo State APC governorship primary election, held on the 20 April 2024, hereby declare that Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes cast in the direct primary election, is hereby returned elected and declared winner,” Ododo stated.
Prior to the announcement, Ododo had pleaded with aspirants for unity regardless who wins. But this plea didn’t work.
While the exercise was being conducted, some aspirants called for its cancellation, claiming irregularities.
The aggrieved aspirants later petitioned the national secretariat of the party in search of redress. They rejected the result and insisted the election must be canceled and repeated.
The aggrieved aspirants are Chief Olusola Oke (SAN), Wale Akinterinwa, Barrister Olugbenga Edema, Prof. Dayo Faduyile, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Hon. Jimi Odimayo and Engr. Folakemi Omogoroye.
While their supporters marched on the streets of Akure to demand the cancellation of the primaries, the aggrieved aspirants also boycotted the collation centre.
But the party candidate, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has urged aspirants to give him the needed support to win the forthcoming governorship election.
He insisted that the party election had ended “with the emergence of a candidate as declared by the Governorship Primary Election Committee, under the chairmanship of Usman Ododo, the Governor of Kogi State.”
The governor, who acknowledged the aspirants, said their participation “created so much awareness within and outside our party.”
Aiyedatiwa counseled against the holding of grudges against anyone, “but for everyone to come together to work for the success of the party so as to remain in power.”
“We will all gain in this party, though at different times, if we keep faith. I salute your courage and keen interest in leading the state towards development. It is your right and you are qualified and worthy members of our party,” he added.
The party leadership at the national level has also sought to douse the tension. While the governor has since visited the presidency to present himself as party candidate, the APC national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, held a meeting with the aspirants at the party secretariat where he appealed to them to accept the outcome of the polls.
However, there are still issues that, if not quickly attended to, may lead to a large number of pre-election litigations.
Pundits observe that most of the aspirants, especially top contenders in the race have refused to concede defeat and are considering various means of getting “justice” including the legal option, which many, including political observers said may become a major bane to a successful election for the party.
There are fears that if the fallout from the primary is not properly handled, these aggrieved aspirants might work against the APC in the election.
PDP
The primary election of the main opposition party was also characterized by drama. The exercise was majorly a tussle between the camp led by former deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, and that of the former governor of the state, Olusegun Mimiko.
No fewer than 621 delegates from the 18 local government areas of the state participated in the shadow election.
There were seven governorship aspirants in the race – Ajayi Agboola, Chief Sola Ebiseni, Kolade Akinjo, Adeolu Akinwumi, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye, Arebuwa and John Ola Mafo.
Ajayi polled 264 votes to defeat the other six aspirants, including a former House of Representatives member, Kolade Akinjo, who came second with 157 votes.
Also, the former secretary general of the Pan Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Afenifere, Chief Sola Ebiseni, a former Environment commissioner, came third in the contest, with 99 votes. While 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.
Investigations by The Point revealed that Mimiko’s camp underrated the former deputy governor, Ajayi, having dumped him after supporting him in the 2020 governorship election on the platform of the Zenith Labour Party.
It was also gathered that the former Afenifere secretary general, Ebiseni, who came third in the contest, had wanted to contest the governorship election on the platform of his former party, Labour Party, but was wooed by one of Mimiko’s loyalists to come to PDP with a promise that he would be given the ticket.
Political pundits observed that Ebiseni was later dumped by the former governor’s camp which supported a former House of Representatives member, Kolade Akinjo.
However, Ajayi won over party loyalists at the grassroots which ensured his victory at the primaries.
As it stands, the November 16 election is set to be majorly between two former deputy governors to the late Rotimi Akeredolu. The former governor died on December 27 last year.
Ajayi, who fell out with Akeredolu in the buildup to the 2020 election, contested against his late boss and lost. Ayedatiwa, who replaced Ajayi, had to battle with loyalists of Akeredolu before he emerged as substantive governor.
However, both candidates are yet to be forgiven by managers of Akeredolu’s political structure in the state.
While Ajayi was elected on the same ballot with Akeredolu in 2016 before the irreconcilable difference between him and his principal, Aiyedatiwa, was Akeredolu’s deputy in the 2020 governorship election and his anointed principal never stopped touting him as his successor before the political feud between them.
Ajayi resigned his membership of the ruling party All Progressives Congress and defected to the opposition PDP, citing irreconcilable differences between him and his principal and the APC, though he held on to the position till the end of the term.
Though things turned sour between Aiyedatiwa and Akeredolu during the latter’s medical vacation to Germany and transmitted to Aiyedatiwa, but some aides of the late governor, who spotted Aiyedatiwa’s ambition, pushed for his impeachment and tried to ease him out of government. Aiyedatiwa survived the onslaught and the rest is history after Akeredolu’s death last December.
Aiyedatiwa, after his inauguration wasted no time to express his desire to continue as the governor of the state, announcing his interest in the race for the Alagbaka top job.
Though the national leadership of the party has waded into the crisis, it waits to be seen whether the aggrieved aspirants would sheath their swords and work with Aiyedatiwa. Some analysts predict that the APC may be dislodged from the governance of the state should the party go into the forthcoming governorship election with a divided house.
Some allude to the fact that the incumbent governor, Aiyedatiwa has stepped on many toes in the last few months. Therefore, Aiyedatiwa, apart from being confronted by PDP and Agboola Ajayi, may face some gang-up within his party, the APC, especially loyalists of Akeredolu.
Aiyedatiwa also has to sort out the fact that some governorship aspirants are still aggrieved that they failed to get the party’s ticket. Some have threatened to exit the party and work against his governorship bid.
It remains to be seen whether Aiyedatiwa’s supporters will extend arms of embrace and an olive branch to other aspirants. The governor also has a task to attend to grievances and resolve intra-party crises before the November election.
Meanwhile, the PDP candidate, Ajayi, seems to be enjoying peace within the PDP fold. All the aspirants who contested the ticket with him have expressed their willingness to support the party to win back the state, noting that the party leadership midwifed a non-controversial primary election, saying the election was transparent, free, fair and devoid of rancour.
Though, political observers have noted that leaders and chieftains of PDP in the state, including, Olusegun Mimiko, Eddy Olafeso, Eyitayo Jegede, Mike Omogbehin, among others were conspicuously missing during the primary, this, to the observers might be deliberate, to give room for free and fair primary or to protect a certain interest.
Political analysts have argued that previous political experience is also a factor in a candidate achieving electoral success.
Interestingly, both Ajayi and Aiyedatiwa have occupied the office of the deputy governor at different periods under late governor Akeredolu though this election will be the first for Aiyedatiwa.
Ajayi started his political career under the platform of Social Democratic Party and became the chairman of SDP in old Apoi Ward 1 from 1988 to 1998. He later joined the PDP in 1998 and was made the Secretary of PDP in Ilaje/Ese Odo LGA between 1998 and 1999.
He later became the caretaker chairman of Ese Odo LGA between 2003 and 2004 before he was elected as the chairman of Ese-Odo LGA from 2004 to 2007. He also served as a former member of the Federal House of Representatives who represented the Ilaje/Ese Odo federal constituency under the PDP. During his time in the House, Ajayi served as the chairman of the House Committee on NDDC from 2007 to 2010.
Ajayi decamped from the PDP to APC and contested election as the running mate to Akeredolu in the governorship election of November 2016. The pair won the election and were sworn in as governor and deputy governor of Ondo State on February 24, 2017. He later contested the October 2020 governorship election in Ondo election with Gboye Adegbenro as his running mate.
Aiyedatiwa joined active politics in 2011 as a card-carrying member of the Action Congress of Nigeria which later merged with other political parties and became APC. He contested for the federal House of Representative for Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency in 2015 but lost in the primary.
Aiyedatiwa served as the federal commissioner who represented Ondo State on the Board of Niger Delta Development Commission from 2018 to 2019. He was selected as the running mate of Akeredolu in the 2020 election and they were elected governor and deputy governor of the state.
Aiyedatiwa became acting governor of the state on December 13 2023, as Akeredolu left for medical vacation in Germany and on December 27, 2023, Aiyedatiwa was sworn in as governor of the sunshine state following Akeredolu’s death.
It is obvious that Ajayi’s experience won the ticket of the party for him and has participated in many elections. He is regarded as a grassroots politician. Though Aiyedatiwa contested once but lost, his political experience under Akeredolu tutelage cannot be underestimated.
One strong factor that may throw Aiyedatiwa above Ajayi is the financial muscle of the incumbent to execute the election.
Aiyedatiwa is believed to have the financial resources to pursue his political desires coupled with the support of the national office of the APC. Apart from being in power at the center, the party holds the ace in the state and the APC would want to use the election to maintain its dominance in the country.
While Ajayi may not command a lot of resources as the incumbent, he is well grounded in state politics. This is apart from the fact that Ajayi is expected to receive financial support from PDP governors and other stakeholders.
The two leading candidates hail from the southern senatorial district of the state. While Aiyedatiwa hails from Obe-Nla, an oil-bearing community in Ilaje Local government area of Ondo State, Ajayi is from Kiribo in Ese Odo local government of the state. The people of the area are divided between the choices of the two politicians jostling for the number one seat in the state.
Some politicians from the southern senatorial district are not home with the choice of Aiyedatiwa who will be spending a four-year single term. They quote the nation’s Constitution as stipulating that a governor cannot be sworn in more than twice.
They argue that the senatorial district will be shortchanged if Aiyedatiwa is elected as the governor against Ajayi who can spend two terms of eight years. But some ardent supporters of Aiyedatiwa argue that another southerner can take over from Aiyedatiwa to complete the district two terms like other senatorial districts.
One other factor that will make the battle interesting is the choice of their deputies and political strength. There is the argument that a governorship ticket will be heavier should the deputy be selected from the central senatorial district which has the largest voting strength in the state.
Already, there seems to be a romance between Aiyedatiwa and the central district and he might pick his deputy from the Akure speaking community at the end of the day.
But there are those who make a case for the current deputy, Olayide Adelami, who hails from Owo, arguing that he played a pivotal role in winning the primary. The people of Owo, the country home of late Akeredolu are said to have supported Aiyedatiwa because of their son, Adelami.
Ajayi, in the last election picked former commissioner for works, Gboye Adegbenro, as running mate. Adegbenro is a political godson of former governor Mimiko. A repeat of this is not expected but it is obvious that the PDP leadership would lend its voice to the choice of his running mate.
Another main obstacle or hurdle for Aiyedatiwa is winning the diehard political followers of Akeredolu to his side. His ability to win this group will also boost his chances. Some of Akeredolu supporters have not shown favourable disposition towards Aiyedatiwa’s ambition as they seem to adopt a ‘Sidon look approach.’
One factor that favours Ajayi is his influence which cuts across parties in the state. He is widely regarded as a grassroots politician; he has friends across political parties who might not hesitate to support his governorship ambition
The northern senatorial district will obviously be a battlefield for the two main contenders. The district includes the four local government areas in Akokoland, Owo and Ose local government areas. With political actors from this northern senatorial district, Aiyedatiwa can go to sleep over votes from this area.
Leaders and political heavyweights who have thrown their weight behind Aiyedatiwa’s aspiration, include former Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ajayi Boroffice; former Speaker of House of Assembly, Victor Olabimtan; former deputy governor, Lasisi Ouboyo; Kolawole Babatunde; Senator Jide Ipinsagba; Minister for Interior, Bunmi Tunji- Ojo among others.
A leader of the party in the northern senatorial district, Olabimtan, predicted that there would be a higher turnout in the state for the election than what was witnessed in all previous elections.
Olabimtan said, “The people of the state are very sensitive to the forthcoming governorship election and will not support a leader who has failed them.”
He argued that various assessments of Aiyedatiwa had been positive.
“He has addressed the infrastructure deficit in the state and paid salaries of teachers, civil servants, and pensioners, which the people see as success. Aiyedatiwa has provided for the welfare of the state and even has been paying salaries and other benefits as at when due and people from this zone will come out in droves to vote for Aiyedatiwa in the forthcoming election,” Olabimtan said.
But the Ondo State Publicity Secretary of PDP, Kennedy Peretei, expressed optimism that PDP will turn the table with this election, saying Ajayi is a trusted and tested politician who can make a difference in the state.
“One factor that favours Ajayi is his influence which cuts across parties in the state. He is widely regarded as a grassroots politician; he has friends across political parties who might not hesitate to support his governorship ambition”
Peretei said, “Every election has its peculiarity and the people of the state know that APC has nothing to offer the people as they have been tested and failed by the people of the state. It is obvious that the APC government translates to penury, poverty and failed to have a positive impact in the lives of the ordinary people. But with Ajayi better days are coming. Ajayi is a former chairman of local government, House Representative Member and member of the NDDC, and his antecedents speak for him. He has influenced a lot of projects to the state and his federal constituency, and I can assure you that Ajayi will win the forthcoming governorship election in the state.”
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has also congratulated Ajayi on his emergence as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in the state.
Atiku hailed Ajayi for his victory in the hotly contested primary election.
The 2023 PDP presidential candidate said the decision of the stakeholders of the party to elect Ajayi as the governorship candidate in the forthcoming election is a wise decision.
According to him, Ajayi possesses the requisite experience and political exposure to take the PDP to victory in the November election, and he has the utmost confidence in his candidature.
The former vice president urged all PDP members across the country to give undiluted loyalty and support to Ajayi ahead of the election.
He wrote, “Congratulations to Chief Agboola Ajayi for his victory in the hotly contested primaries for the ticket of oura great party in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State.
“The decision of the stakeholders of the PDP to elect Chief Ajayi to fly the flag of the party is a wise decision. Chief Ajayi possesses the requisite experience and political exposure to take the PDP to victory in the November election, and I have the utmost confidence in his candidature.
“The unity in the PDP is our winning spirit. It is for this reason that I urge every member of the PDP across the country to give undiluted loyalty and support to Agboola Ajayi in this all-important and historic election.”
The election may not be a tea party for Aiyedatiwa as PDP, the main opposition, has continued to work towards strengthening itself ahead of the polls.
However, it would be safe to say that the race for the Alàgbaka Government House is obviously between two brothers but all odds favour the APC candidate, considering the power of incumbency and the government at the center.
