A former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, has declared his intention to contest for the Ondo South Senatorial seat.
He made his intention known to journalists in Akure, the state capital, on Wednesday, thus raising the stakes in the contention for the seat.
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Mr Ajayi was deputy to the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in his first term in office, but left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2020 to run for governor. He failed to clinch the ticket.
He then defected to the Zenith Labour Party, where he contested the governorship election but lost.
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He returned to the PDP in 2024, running as its governorship candidate, but lost to APC’s Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the incumbent governor, who also hails from the southern senatorial district.
In January 2026, Mr Ajayi rejoined the APC, citing his desire to support Mr Aiyedatiwa and the Bola Tinubu administration as his reasons.
The senator for the district, Jimoh Ibrahim, was recently named Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN.
He was elected to the Senate in 2023 for the zone.
The Senate has yet to declare his seat vacant to pave the way for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a by-election to replace him.
Speaking on his senatorial ambition, Mr Ajayi clarified that he is not seeking to replace Mr Ibrahim for the remaining one year left of the latter’s tenure but to begin a fresh term in 2027.
He advocated that the remaining part of Mr Ibrahim’s tenure be completed by a senator from Okitipupa.
He said he had informed Mr Aiyedatiwa and the senator (Jimoh) about his aspiration, both of whom had supported him.
Most qualified
Mr Ajayi said that he is the most qualified and experienced among the APC members who have shown interest in the seat
He emphasised the need for APC to choose a popular candidate because of the impact it would have on the presidential election.
“I have traversed the political landscape – from councillor, local government chairman, party secretary, to deputy governor and member of the National Assembly. I believe it is time to return and complete the unfinished projects I initiated for our people.
“I laid the foundation for major development projects, but they were not completed. That is why I want to return—to finish what I started,” he added.
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Mr Ajayi also referenced the number of votes he got in the 2024 gubernatorial election in the state, saying this would add to the total votes for President Tinubu in the state during the 2027 presidential election.
Turn of Ese Odo
He argued that it was the turn of Ese-Odo Local Government Area in the Southern Senatorial District to occupy the senatorial seat.
“Out of the six local governments in Ondo South, mine is the only one that has not produced a senator. By all political calculations and fairness, it is our turn.
“The Senate is not a place for trial and error. It requires people who understand governance, legislation, and national dynamics,” he said.
