Those who contested the election alongside Ajayi were Bamidele Akingboye, Adeolu Akinwumi, Sola Ebiseeni, John Mafo, Kolade Akinjo and Bosun Arebuwa
By Moses Okorie
The battle of who wins the Ondo State governorship election is getting tougher as former deputy governor to late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Agboola Ajayi beat other six contestants and is set to challenge another former deputy governor who is also the incumbent governor of the state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Ajayi, on Thursday, in Akure, in an indirect primary election clinched the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ticket even as Aiyedatiwa was last week declared winner of the All Progressives Congress, APC, primary election for the November 16, 2024.
Those who contested the election alongside Ajayi were Bamidele Akingboye, Adeolu Akinwumi, Sola Ebiseeni, John Mafo, Kolade Akinjo and Bosun Arebuwa.
Of the total valid votes of 619, Ajayi polled 264, followed by Akinjo who got 157 votes and Ebiseeni who scored 99 votes.
Ajayi left the APC after a fallout with Akeredolu in 2021. He was Ondo deputy governor between February 2017 and February 2021. Ajayi later went to Zenith Labour Party and became the party’s governorship candidate in the 2020 election in the state. He competed against Akeredolu but lost.
The two former deputy governors now await other candidates that would emerge from the other political parties ahead of the November poll.