Ondo Guber Primary: Tinubu’s Choice Emerges, Frustrates Jimoh Ibrahim’s 21 Years Aspiration

Ondo Guber Primary

 

OpenLife Nigeria reports that in the early hours of Saturday, April 20, signals emerged on who President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is supporting for the All Progressives Congress, APC ticket for the Ondo 2024 governorship election.

The APC primary election contest holds today in Akure, Ondo State capital.

Overtime, Tinubu has maintained silence in the affairs of the state with regards to the primaries.

Information has it that Tinubu decided to tread softly so as not to be seen as taking side with any of the aspirants.

He has refused to grant audience to any of the aspirants despite pressures from them and several visits to Abuja for the President’s endorsement.

Aides to the President said he is looking for a candidate who will be loyal to the party and prepared to deliver the state to the APC in the 2027 general elections.

Credible source said that the silence of Tinubu till early hours of Saturday shows that he has tactically succumbed to pressure from Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s fellow governor’s under the NGF, to allow him continue for another four years.

This development has knocked off the 21 years governorship aspiration of Jimoh Ibrahim.

The businessman , now Senator representing Ondo South in the Senate, began the realization of his governorship ambition in 2003 under the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP.

So determined to get presidential endorsement was Jimoh of recent that he started adorning the cape with Tinubu’s political logo in all his public outings including overseas trips.

 

In today’s primary contest, 16 aspirants have been screened and cleared for the exercise.

Among the 16 contestants, 14 are from Ondo South senatorial district. The battle for Ondo South delegates’ votes is expected to be fierce and the two other senatorial districts- Central and North are expected to be tie breakers. The APC adopted direct primaries to be held across the 18 LGAs of the state.

The cleared aspirants include Governor Aiyedatiwa; immediate past Finance Commissioner, Wale Akinterinwa; former member of the House of Representatives and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Mayowa Akinfolarin; former President of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, and former Special Adviser to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Health, Prof Francis Faduyile; APC National Vice Chairman South-West, Hon Isaacs Kekemeke; and two term governorship aspirant, Chief Olusola Oke, SAN.

Others are former Chairman of the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission, OSOPADEC, Hon. Gbenga Edema; the senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Dr Jimoh Ibrahim; a retired Army Officer, Brig. Gen. Olamide Ohunyeye; a member of the House of Representatives representing Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency, Hon. Jimi Odimayo; former commissioner of the Nigeria Population Commission, NPC, Diran Iyantan; Executive Secretary of the Niger Delta Power Holdings, Ife Oyedele; Mr Soji Ehinlawo; Mrs Funmilayo Waheed-Adekojo; Morayo Lebi, and Mrs Funke Omogoroye.