Stumbling Blocks Before Aiyedatiwa Days To Ondo Guber

On paper, everything seems to be working in favor of the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, ahead of the November 16 Ondo State gubernatorial election.

Aiyedatiwa is the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), backed by the power of incumbency, for the election.

His performance in rural development, which includes the commissioning and installation of solar-powered streetlights and the provision of water access and security, appears to have earned him a voting bloc in that sector. However, insiders insist it is certainly not a homerun.

Those in the know say that Aiyedatiwa, whose administration’s investment in education through bursaries and scholarships has boosted his rating, is contending with serious internal wranglings within his political party.

He is battling opposition galvanized by hardcore loyalists of his predecessor, the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, with strong connections to his widow, Betty Akeredolu.

The infighting, aside from weakening the APC with less than a month to the election, is also affecting public perception of Aiyedatiwa.

Part of Aiyedatiwa’s campaign strategy, although he has tried to assert his agenda with initiatives like a strong push for agricultural development, is that his administration is a continuation of the giant strides of Akeredolu. However, unverifiable allegations that he was “disloyal” in his dealings with the late governor, which have filtered out during the internal wranglings within his party, are not helping matters.

Agboola Ajayi, a former deputy governor of the state on the platform of the APC, is proving to be a tougher opponent than anticipated.

Ajayi, with a better understanding of the political dynamics of Ondo State, is the gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the November 16, 2024 election.

He has put his understanding of top-level governance and his experience as the gubernatorial candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in the 2022 election — where he ran against the formidable Akeredolu — to good use, making him the main challenger against Aiyedatiwa in the upcoming electoral contest.

With broader statewide exposure as the incumbent governor who has created intentional impact at the grassroots since succeeding Akeredolu in December 2023, observers note that Aiyedatiwa faces the important task of rallying voters to come out in large numbers. There are over 2 million registered voters for the election, and those familiar with the situation say it is to the governor’s advantage—based on projections premised on the impact of his administration—that he gets close to, if not a full, hundred percent voter turnout.

However, in the face of all these, talks are abound that his supporters are comforted by assurance of a replica of the strong backing that helped Monday Okpebholo win the October 21, Edo state gubernatorial election from the leadership of the APC.