Agboola Ajayi, the former deputy governor of Ondo State, has clinched the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ajayi secured 264 out of the 621 votes cast by delegates during the party’s primary election on Thursday.
The PDP candidate previously served as deputy governor under the late Rotimi Akeredolu’s administration during the latter’s first term. However, the relationship between the two soured towards the end of their tenure, leading to Akeredolu’s decision to replace Ajayi with Lucky Aiyedatiwa for his second term.
On Sunday, the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, won the governorship ticket of All Progressive Congress(APC) with 48,460 votes.
Aiyedatiwa’s closest rival, Mayowa Akinfolarin, garnered 15,182 votes in the primary election that took place in 18 local government areas of Ondo State.
Aiyedatiwa became acting governor of Ondo State on December 13, 2023, after his then boss left for end-stage leukemia treatment. Akeredolu died on December 27, 2023, and Aiyedatiwa was sworn in as governor.