As the general election beckons, the electorates in Ondo State are already warming up to storm the 3,933 polling units across the 18 local government areas of the state, where they will cast their votes for the candidates of their choice.
However, with Ondo State being among the few states in the country that will not be having governorship elections in the 2023 elections, voters within the state’s 203 political wards will be at the polls on February 25 to elect the president and National Assembly members, as well as on March 11 to cast their ballots for the 26 lawmakers that will represent them at the state legislature.
With the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Labour Party, LP, being the leading contenders for the country’s top job at the national level, it will be a straight battle between APC and PDP in Ondo State.
In Ondo State, LP has not been widely visible politically to the residents of the state when compared with the constant engagements of PDP and APC in the three senatorial districts of the state.
Also, the inability of the party (LP) to field candidates for some of the senatorial, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly seats will affect the party’s chances during the polls in the state.
Meanwhile, the margin might be close, but indications show that the APC will win the presidential poll in the state.
ONDO SOUTH:
In the southern senatorial district of Ondo State, the battle over who will represent the district at the red chamber is strictly between the candidate of the PDP, who is the immediate past deputy governor of the state, Agboola Ajayi, and the candidate of the APC, Jimoh Ibrahim, a billionaire business mogul.
With the two candidates possessing a 50/50 chance of emerging victorious at the polls, they are not leaving any stone unturned in seeking votes from potential voters across the six local government areas of the district.
According to fillers from the field, Ajayi, who is regarded as a grassroot politician, will be banking on his political prowess to outwit Ibrahim, who his supporters believe will win due to his billionaire status and is properly funding his team ahead of the big day.
Another edge for Ibrahim will be the factor of incumbency, particularly that he has the unflinching support of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
Ajayi, who had a strained relationship as deputy governor with his erstwhile boss, Akeredolu, during the governor’s first term, has been showing determination to make a bold comeback to the political scene of the state.
ONDO CENTRAL:
For the first time in a while, Akure, the capital of the Sunshine State, is in good stead to produce the senator for the central senatorial district due to the fact that the two frontline political parties, the APC and PDP, have indigenes of the community as their standard bearers.
Also, the uniqueness of the candidates, Ifedayo Adedipe of the PDP and Adeniyi Adegbomire of the APC, is that they are not only lawyers but Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN.
With the development, either of the two will emerge as winners, but the PDP seems to have a better chance than the APC due to the track record of the PDP in the district.
During the last governorship election in the state, the PDP, through its candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, defeated Akeredolu of the APC in three of the six local councils of the central senatorial district.
According to the contest for the senatorial district, it will be a 60/40 ratio in favour of the PDP.
ONDO NORTH:
Being the stronghold of the APC in the state, candidates of the party will be dusting off the contestants on the platform of the PDP. The governor hails from the district, particularly from Owo Local Council Area of the state.
Jide Ipinsagba will be flying the APC flag at the polls, while Tokunbo Modupe of the PDP will be looking for a sudden change in permutations in his favour ahead of the poll.
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