13 PDP aspirants eye Ajimobi's job in Oyo state

13 PDP aspirants eye Ajimobi's job in Oyo state

Thursday, October 30, 2014 10:02 am


Adebayo Alao-Akala, ex-Oyo State governor

Adebayo Alao-Akala, ex-Oyo State governor

Thirteen aspirants have emerged in the contest to pick the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2015 governorship election in Oyo State, western Nigeria.

Notable among them are former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, former senate leader, Senator Teslim Folarin and the youngest of them all, Engineer Seyi Makinde.

Others are: two former federal ministers-Elder Wole Oyelese and Professor Taoheed Adedoja, the former chairman of the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, (SUBEB), Professor Soji Adejumo, former deputy Governor, Alhaji Azeem Gbolarumi, former Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Owolabi Babalola, former local council caretaker chairman and Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to late Lam Adesina, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan.

Also in the race are the owner of Ibadan based event centre, Jogor, Engineer Femi Babalola, former deputy governor and a serving ambassador in Iraq , Alhaji Taofeek Oladejo Arapaja, Ayodele Olabode and Azeem Popoola Adeduntan, .

However, among these aspirants, the three major contenders, one of which will likely fly the party’s flag during the election, are: Otunba Alao-Akala, Senator Folarin and Engineer Makinde.

So far, only Otunba Alao-Akala and Makinde have made a public declaration and submitted the party’s Expression of interest form at the party’s national secretariat, Wadata House, Abuja.

Alao-Akala and Makinde have also embarked on aggressive campaign, with their billboards and posters ubiquitous in the state.

Whoever emerges out of these aspirants would have to slug it out with Governor Abiola Ajimobi of AII Progressives Congress (APC) who is unchallenged in his party for a second term ticket.

They will also confront Senator Rasheed Ladoja , former governor of the state who intends to run on the platform of the Accord Party.


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