All Your Need to Know About Sunshine State’s Governorship Poll
- Safiu Kehinde
It is another weekend of Nigeria’s off-cycle election.
Coming under the lenses of political analysts, media, election monitoring groups, and other political stakeholders today is Ondo state.
As early as 7am today, Ondo residents will be trooping out in numbers to exercise their voting rights as they decide at the 2024 Ondo governorship roll, who to govern the state for the next four years.
The state has come under the fever of campaigns in the past months with some of the prominent candidates vying for the position trading in wits.
Among the candidates, those of the All Progressive Congress (the ruling party), the Peoples Democratic Party), the Zenith Political Party and the Labour Party stand out.
How Many Candidates Are Standing for the Election?
As confirmed in final updated list of candidates for the election, the Independent National Electoral Commission disclosed that 18 candidates from 18 political parties are contesting for the election.
However, the election is believed to be a two-horse race between the ruling party, All Progressive Congress, and the People’s Democratic Party.
Having completed the tenure of the late Ondo state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, whom; he deputized, Lucky Aiyedatiwa seeks Ondo people’s mandate for the APC to guarantee his stay as the state’s governor and also commence his own tenure.
During his campaign, he promised to complete the unfinished road projects of his late predecessor while also embarking on other infrastructural development among which include dual bridge constructions.
He also pledged to address security concerns in the state.
The grand finale of his campaign had in attendance several APC dignitaries which include Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his Ogun counterpart, Dapo Abiodun.
Vice President Kashim Shettima was also present at the campaign to drum support for Aiyedatiwa alongside other APC governors and prominent members.
Aiyedatiwa, however, faced stiff competition from the PDP’s Agboola Ajayi. Coming straight from their loss of Edo state, the PDP is keen at overthrowing the APC in Ondo state.
Meanwhile, other major political parties in the race include Labour Party, Zenith Labour Party, YPP, and NNPP amongst others.
Their candidates are as listed below;
Falaiye Abraham Ajibola – A
Akinuli Fred Omolere – AA
Ajayi Adekunle Oluwaseyi – AAC
Nejo Adeyemi – ADC
Akinnodi Ayodeji Emmanuel – ADP
Popoolqa Olatunji Tunde – APGA
Ogunfeyimi Isaac Kolawole – APM
Fadoju Amos Babatunde – APP
Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus – LP
Olugbemiga Omogbemi Edema – NNPP
Ajaunoko Funmilayo Jenyo – NRM
Alli Babatunde Francis – PRP
Akingboye Benson Bamidele – SDP
Adegoke Kehinde Paul – YP
Akinmurele John Otitoloju – YPP
Mimiko Olubansile Abbas – ZLP
Total number of LGAs
Ondo state has 18 Local Government Areas, with Akure South identified as the largest by population. While the incumbent governor hails from Ilaje LGA, his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the PDP hails from Ese Odo local government.
From all these local government areas, the total number of registered voters across the 18 LGAs is put at 2, 053,061 with a total polling units of 3,933.
However, according to INEC, only 1,757,205 voters collected their Permanent Voters Card, ahead of the election.
INEC’s Top officials for Ondo Election
Against several demands and agitation for her removal, Toyin Babalola remains Ondo Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC). Meanwhile INEC National Commissioner to supervise Ondo election is Prof. Kunle Ajayi.
Over the cause of the campaign week, the APC and PDP were the most dominant. Both parties pulled mammoth crowd during their campaign rallies which also had in attendance top political office holders.
PDP’s campaign’s grand finale in Akure was attended by the party’s Governors Forum led by Alhaji Bala Mohammed, the Governor of Bauchi state.
The party’s National Chairman, Umaru Iliya Damagun, was also present at the final campaign for Agboola Ajayi.
Damagun, Oyo state Governor, Seyi Makinde, and others had assured the people of Ondo that come Sunday, Agboola would be declared the winner of the election urging party members who wish to get political appointments to get ready.