At least sixteen politicians have indicated interest in participating in the party primaries to pick up the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State.
Naija News reports the APC has set April 25, 2024 for the conduct of its governorship primary election in the state. The sale of nominations, expression of interest and delegate forms for contestants will begin on April 3 and end on April 10.
Similarly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the 2024 Ondo State governorship election for November 16.
As the ruling party in the state, APC would be hoping to retain the seat, while other political parties would also be hoping to unseat the ruling party.
According to INEC, party primaries in the Ondo State governorship election will start in the next two weeks on 6 April and end on 27 April. The electoral umpire has also confirmed that 16 of 19 registered political parties have indicated interest in contesting the 16 November governorship election in the state.
The aspirants who have indicated interest in the APC ticket are:
1. Mayowa Akinfolarin – Former member of the House of Representatives
2. Oladunni Odu – Former Secretary to the State Government (SSG)
3. Lucky Aiyedatiwa – Incumbent Ondo governor
4. Gbenga Edema – Former Chairman of the Ondo State Oil-producing Areas Development Commission and former member who represented the State on the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)
5. Brig. Gen. Olamide Ohunyeye (retd) – Retired Director of Finance at the Nigerian Defence Academy
6. Jimoh Ibrahim – Business mogul and incumbent Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District
7. Wale Akinterinwa – Former Ondo Commissioner for Finance
8. Isaac Kekemeke – APC National Vice Chairman (South-West)
9. Prof. Francis Faduyile – Former Special Adviser to the late Governor Akeredolu on Health
10. Chief Olusola Oke – Two-time governorship candidate in the state (2012 and 2016)
11. Dr Paul Akintelure
12. Sola Ebisemi – Former Commissioner for the Environment in the state
13. Ifeoluwa Oyedele – Executive Director (Engineering and Technical Services) at Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited
14. Adedayo Faduyile – Former President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA)
15. Olusola Iji
16. Jimi Odimayo
17. Matthew Oyerinmade
18. Funmilayo Adekojo