Ondo Guber: PDP, APC Governorship Candidates pick running mates based on Political Reach, Financial Strength

The two leading political parties for the November Gubernatorial Election for Ondo State, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday announced running mates for their candidates.

While the PDP chose the former Commissioner for Information in the state, John Ola Mafo as running mate to Mr Eyitayo Jegede SAN, the APC named a former Member of the House of Representatives, Hon Agboola Ajayi as running mate to Mr Rotimi Akeredolu SAN.

The two political parties had submitted names of their deputy governorship candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the deadline for such exercise expired yesterday.

A statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary Banji Okunomo said the credentials of Mafo qualified him for the position.

According to Okunomo, the decision to pick Mafo was taken by the highest decision-making body of the PDP in Ondo State.

He said: “At the highest decision-making body of Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party today, the PDP resolved on the choice of Ola Mafo as the Deputy Governorship candidate of the party. The party took this far-reaching decision after considering all factors that would lead to its victory at the poll.

“The party weighed a number of options including the credentials of Ola Mafo which ranged from being a former chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State to being a former Commissioner for Information in Ondo State.”

Okunomo, who said that the choice of Mafo was based on equity and political balance, noted that “For equity and balance, it is apposite for the party to uphold his nomination as the Deputy Governorship candidate.”

“His name has been forwarded to the INEC as the Deputy Governorship candidate of the PDP. With this development, all party members are further directed to go about their normal campaign, this time around for the Eyitayo/Mafo ticket.”

The Publicity Secretary of the APC, Abayomi Akinsanya said that the choice of Agboola Ajayi was made following the report of the five-member screening Committee put in place by the governorship candidate and led by one of the aspirants, Jumoke Anifowose.

Agboola who hails from Ese-Odo in the South was picked because of his political reach anf ability to finance the campaign and the fact that he would be able to wrestle Olusola Oke in the area.