The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State will today hold its primary election to determine who among the seven aspirants will fly the flag of the party in the November 16 governorship election in the state.
A total of 627 delegates are expected to determine the fate of the seven aspirants at the primary to be held at the International Culture and Event Centre, DOME, in Akure, the state capital.
The governorship aspirants, Agboola Ajayi, Adeolu Akinwumi, Olusola Ebiseni, Bamidele Akingboye, Kolade Akinjo, Bosun Arebuwa, and John Mafo, who have been cleared by the screening committee of the party led by Senator Sam Egwu to take part in the shadow election, would lock horns in a bid to secure the ticket of the party for the November 16 poll.
Daily Trust reports that the exercise will be conducted by a seven-man electoral committee to be chaired by Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, as the party will be adopting the indirect option for the primary.
Some things to know about the aspirants:
Agboola Ajayi
A former deputy governor of the state who served the late governor Rotimi Akeredolu from 2017 to 2021 under the government of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he resigned his membership in the party on June 21, 2020, and joined the PDP following the feud between him and the late Akeredolu.
He contested the PDP primary in 2020 but lost to Eyitayo Jegede, who eventually became the candidate of the party. Ajayi later headed to the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and joined former governor Olusegun Mimiko, but returned to the PDP.
Sola Ebiseni
A former Commissioner for Environment in the state who served under the government of former governor Olusegun Mimiko, he hails from Mahin in Ilaje LGA and has a notable tenure as the former Chairman of the old Ilaje/Ese Odo LGA. He became the council head at the age of 29.
John Ola Mafo
A former commissioner for information and a prominent figure within the PDP. He was also the deputy governorship candidate for Eyitayo Jegede in the 2016 election. Mafo is a sports administrator.
Adeolu Akinwunmi
A former special assistant to former governor Olusegun Mimiko. He is not among the popular politicians in the race, but his presence has changed the narratives of the old guards in the state’s political sphere.
Bamidele Akingboye
Akingboye, popularly known as OBA, is a major contender for the shadow election and is a consistent contestant for the seat. He started in 2007 and has contested more than four times; despite losing out in all, he remained in the PDP and is seen as a major financier of the party in the state.
Bosun Aregbuwa
Aregbuwa is a chartered accountant and a prominent member of the PDP in the state. Because of his relative lack of political structure and firepower, pundits believed that he was probably supporting another contender in the race and may be a pretender.
Kolade Akinjo
He was the immediate past federal lawmaker and member of the House of Representatives, representing Ilaje/Ese-Odo, and previously served as personal assistant to the President on Student and Youth Affairs from 1999–2007.
Speaking on today’s exercise, Kennedy Peretie, the spokesman for the party, said the PDP remained the party to beat in the forthcoming election. He said the primary will elect a candidate that will match other contenders in the November election.
