An epic battle is loading in Ondo State ahead of the governorship election in the state with the emergence of two former deputy governors to late Rotimi Akeredolu, Agboola Ajayi and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. Hakeem Gbadamosi writes on the hurdles before the governorship candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
With the recent developments in the Ondo state political scene occasioned by the emergence of two former Deputy Governors to late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu as flagbearers of their political parties, analysts have predicted the fiercest fight ever between the two political gladiators, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Honourable Agboola Ajayi.
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 (APC) and defected to the opposition Party Peoples Democratic Party (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.
He contested for the party’s ticket with 15 other contenders in a direct primary election and won.
Intra-party crisis
The dust raised by the APC primary has not settled as most of the contenders including Chief Olusola Oke, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, Wale Akinterinwa, Gbenga Edema have challenged the process of the election, claiming the direct primary exercise, conducted under Kogi state governor’s committee was fraught with irregularities and against APC’s primary election guidelines.
Though the national leadership of the party has waded into the crisis, it waits to be seen whether the aggrieved aspirants would sheathe 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 crisis before the November election.
Meanwhile, the PDP candidate, Agboola 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, Dr. 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.
Personalities and antecedents
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 (SDP) and became the chairman of SDP in old Opoi Ward 1 from 1988 to 1998. He later joined the Peoples Democratic Party (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 former member of the Federal House of Representatives who represented Ilaje/Ese Odo federal constituency under the PDP. During his time in the House, Ajayi served as the chairman 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 was sworn in as governor and deputy governor of Ondo State on 24 February 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 (ACN) 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 at 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 13 December 2023, as Akeredolu left for medical vacation in Germany and on 27 December 2023, Aiyedatiwa was sworn in as governor of the sunshine state following Akeredolu’s death.
It is obvious that Ajayi’s experience wins 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 but 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 the state politics. This is apart from the fact that Ajayi is expected to receive financial support from PDP governors and other stakeholders.
Term to spend
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 choice 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 Agboola 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 term 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 a romance between Aiyedatiwa and the central district and he might pick his deputy from 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 obstacles 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 showed favourable disposition towards Aiyedatiwa’s ambition as they seem to adopt a siddon 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 battle field 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, Honourable Victor Olabimtan; former deputy governor, Lasisi Ouboyo; Kolawole Babatunde; Senator Jide Ipinsagba; Minister for Interior, Bunmi Tunji- Ojo among others.
Leaders 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 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.
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 the people of the state. It is obvious that APC government translates to penury, poverty and failed to have 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.”
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. But, in politics, anything can still happen.