With the conduct of party primaries to choose candidates for the Ondo State governorship election around the corner, HAKEEM GBADAMOSI writes on the background and pedigree of gladiators from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Ondo State political field is awash with frenetic moves by governorship contestants under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). While the APC is determined to retain its grip on the state, the PDP is putting up a stiff challenge to return to power many years it was eased out of Alagbaka House, the Government House in Akure. Interestingly, all aspirants from the two major parties hail from the southern senatorial district of the state. This might be connected with the initial unwritten zoning arrangement that politicians from the southern senatorial district would automatically get preference in 2024 after the tenure of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who passed on recently.
The list of the current contenders for the APC ticket include: incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa; Chief Olusola Oke, Wale Akinterinwa, Isaacs Kekemeke, Gbenga Edema, Mayowa Akinfolarin, Jimoh Ibrahim, Brigadier General Olumide Ohunyeye (retd); Professor Adedayo Faduyile; Jimmy Odimayo, among others.
Related Posts
Ondo 2024: Omoluabi Coalition rallies support op, as Olusola Oke picks nomination form
Ondo 2024: Eneukwu to chair APC nine-man adhoc election committee
Akintelure: Aiyedatiwa mourns, says death too sudden
In the PDP, the aspirants are: Agboola Ajayi, Bamidele Akingboye, Sola Ebiseni, John Ola Mafo, Adeolu Akinwunmi and Bosun Arebuwa. While the PDP aspirants are banking on their popularity and influence to pick the party’s ticket, their APC counterparts are looking towards the body language of President Bola Tinubu and the national leadership of the party for a final pronouncement on who picks the party’s ticket.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa
It is no longer news that Governor Ayedatiwa, who stepped in from the post of deputy to become the substantive to his boss, Akeredolu after the demise of latter, is hotly working to emerge as the candidate the APC. Ayedatiwa is believed to be partly banking on the power of incumbency and building his own political structures. He has been the beneficiary of a gale of endorsements by powerful and influential groups and members of APC within the state, bolstering his confidence of winning the ticket and indeed the governorship contest in November. His camp eagerly awaits the endorsement of the President Tinubu and the national leaders of the party, who have ruled out automatic ticket for any aspirant ahead the primary. Where the other APC swing in the final countdown to the primary is almost critical for Ayedaitiwa’s bid. None of them was at the official declaration of the governor for the race.
Olusola Oke
He is regarded as a foremost contender for the governorship seat in the state, considering his political experience, coupled with the fact that he has been in the political scene of the state for a long time. He was a governorship candidate in the 2012 and 2016 elections. He had been the governorship candidate of both the PDP and Alliance for Democracy (AD) at different times. His unsuccessful attempts at leading the state, over the years notwithstanding, his pedigree, credentials and popularity keep soaring and glowing. Oke is regarded not only as a grassroots politician, but also a humble bridge builder, with high connection spreading across all political parties. The belief in some circles in the state is that he has got the chance of becoming the next governor, after Dr Olusegun Mimiko and the late Akeredolu. Oke was a member of the House of Representatives in 1992; NDDC Commissioner in 2001, and Chairman, Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC). He was once the national legal adviser of the PDP.
Observers say he also needs the endorsement of Abuja in his current bid to fulfill one of his political ambitions. He is believed to exude huge confidence and high hopes of winning the APC ticket as this might be his last chance to govern the state. His core loyalists, friends and associates predict that some staunch and influential members of the PDP and other parties might flock in the APC if Oke emerges as APC standard-bearer due to his cordial relationship across the board over the years.
Isaacs Kekemeke
The pioneer chairman of APC in the state and the National Vice Chairman South, is another frontline governorship hopeful in the party. Kekemeke who is of the Ijaw extraction, hails from the minority area of Arogbo Ijaw, in Ese Odo local government area. But he is perceived as a strong grassroots politician and mobiliser. Kekemeke, popularly known as Lekeleke, has held many public offices, which include Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; Commissioner for Works, Lands, Housing and Transport and Secretary to the State Government between 2003 and 2009.
His entry into the gubernatorial race is believed to have has triggered ripples among other aspirants, especially because of cordial relationship with President Tinubu. Kekemeke is also said to understand the nitty-gritty of Ondo politics far more than his contemporary political gladiators. However, his critics say he hails from the minority in the state.
Wale Akinterinwa
Akinterinwa, a three-term former Commissioner for Finance, is the longest-serving in that capacity in the history of the state. He is also categorized as a leading contestant for the ticket of the APC. He is said to be the anointed candidate of the late Akeredolu. In fact, Akinterinwa said he secured Akeredolu’s endorsement before his demise, as well as enjoys the backing of Abuja politicians as he is a known to be a member of Bourdillion family of Tinubu, from where he was purportedly donated to state. Akinterinwa hails from Ile Oluji and is believed to enjoy the support of foot soldiers of Akeredolu and his political family. The political structure of late governor has been dissolved into the Akinterinwa platform.
He has built massive grassroots support. Akinterinwa was believed to have played a pivotal in the administration of Akeredolu and that of his predecessor, Dr Mimiko. Thus, some observers claim that he is among the best in terms of maturity and composure to inherit the political and administrative structure of Akeredolu. His only seeming encumberance is the fact that he comes from outside the southern senatorial district of the state.
Mayowa Akinfolarin
Akinfolarin was twice House of Assembly member and one time House of Representatives’ member. He is said to enjoy the support of national lawmakers, especially a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, now Chief of Staff to thee President, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila. Akinfolarina is a farmer and philanthropist, and described as a man of a high moral ground. Many people still talk about his favourable disposition towards the downtrodden during his tenure as the deputy speaker of the state Assembly and member of the National Assembly. Akinfolarin recently embarked on a local government tour, trying to rally members of the APC for his bid and is aid to have some forces in Abuja as backers in his bid to secure the APC ticket.
Jimoh Ibrahim
He is the lawmaker, representing Ondo South in the Senate. A business mogul, who has since made an incredible impact in politics, he has been involved in aggressive mobilisation and philanthropy to further shore up his chances in the epic battle for the ticket. Ibrahim, a very strong chieftain of the APC, consummate businessman and industrialist of high repute, has played a prominent role in the state politics.
Some analysts rate Ibrahim as one of the best materials. Others claim that he could be too overbearing as governor. Some persons claim that like a few other aspirants, the role he played during the 2012 governorship election still lingers in the memory of the people of the state.
Gbenga Edema
Former Chairman, Ondo State Oil Producing Area Commission (OSOPADEC) and former member, the Board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) representing the state, Barrister Gbenga Edema, is also a strong contender for the APC ticket. He was a member of the state Assembly. Edema hails from Ogogoro community in Ilaje local government area has been in politics since 1999. He is known to be consistent and this has endeared him to the people.
Professor Dayo Faduyile
The former President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and a former Special Adviser to Akeredolu on health before he was relieved by Ayedatiwa. He is a Professor of Pathology. He has made his mark within a short period of being in politics. He hails from the southern senatorial district. He has built a political structure for his ambition within a short period.
PDP aspirants
The leading contenders in PDP include: Agboola Ajayi, Sola Ebiseni, John Mafo, Bamidele Akingboye, Akinwunmi Adeolu and Bosun Arebuwa.
Sola Ebiseni
The is the erstwhile secretary general of the pan-Yoruba organization, Afenifere. A lawyer and three-time commissioner in the state, Ebiseni, is seen to possess the political experience and antecedents. He hails from Mahin in Ilaje local government area and became the chairman of the old Ilaje local government area at the age of 29. He contested for the governorship ticket of the PDP in 2016 but lost to Jegede. He is a strong member of PDP, has associates and supporters across the state. He is popular among the people, particularly the youths.
He never hid his intention to govern the state during his brief stint with the Labour Party and has been campaigning vigorously to win the attention of the party members in the state, a development that has made him the aspirant to beat. Ebiseni, who prides himself as the most consistent and loyal politician among the aspirants in the state, said it was proper for the party to ensure that whoever must emerge in PDP, should be a loyal and committed party member.
Agboola Ajayi
He is regarded as another strong contender for the PDP ticket. The former deputy governor of the state resigned his membership from the APC and defected to the PDP following certain irreconcilable differences between him and his boss then, th late Governor Akeredolu. He contested for the PDP primary but lost to Jegede before heading to the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) led by former Governor Mimiko. Ajayi started his political career under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and became the chairman of the party in Old Opoi Ward 1 from 1988 to 1998. He also served as former member of the Federal House of Representatives and represented Ilaje/Ese Odo federal constituency under the PDP, serving as the chairman House Committee on NDDC from 2007 to 2010.
He is a grassroots politician and has a deep pocket and tentacles spread across all political parties in the state. He is optimistic of clinching the PDP ticket.
John Olu Mafo
The deputy governorship candidate to Jegede in the 2016 election, Mr Olu Mafo is a journalist and sport administrator. He is also in the race for PDP ticket. A former commissioner for Information and also Commissioner for Sport and Youths, he has remained a member of PDP in the state.
Akinwunmi Adeolu
Adeolu Akinwunmi has assured that if given the ticket, he has all it takes to wrestle power from the APC at the poll in November. He was a Special Adviser to former Governor Mimiko.
Bamidele Akingboye
He was a consistent contestant for the seat since 2007. He contested more than four times but has has remained in the PDP. However, it is not clear if he will be able to withstand other aspirants who have mobilized necessary logistics to subdue other opposition. He is popular among the people, especially those regarded as power brokers and kingmakers in politics. However, the issue is that other extraneous factors could sway delegates at the primary of PDP.
However, it is obvious that the PDP is going into this contest with one voice and might come out with a rancor-free primary. Jegede has withdrawn from the race.
READ ALSO: Eba is superior to Amala — American rapper, Wale
Get real-time news updates from Tribune Online! Follow us on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive stories and interviews, and much more. Join our WhatsApp Channel now
Abuja doctor reveals unique way to permanently cure weak erection, small and shameful manhood and infertility issues without side effects within a short period. Click now to see!!
Tags: AiyedatiwaAPCheavyweightsPDP