Two PDP Ondo Senators Lose Bid To Return To Senate; Defeated In PDP Primary Election

By Ayodele Oni

Two sitting Senators from Ondo state have lost bid to return to the Senate for another term in office.

This followed their defeat in the keenly contested primary election of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) which was held on Monday nationwide.

Senator Ayo Akinyelure, representing Ondo Central was defeated by a legal practitioner from Akure, Ifedayo Adedipe SAN, while his counterpart, Nicholas Tofowomo, from Ondo South lost to former Deputy Governor, Chief Agboola Ajayi.

Ajayi scored 78 votes to beat Tofowomo who polled 74 votes, Iroju Ogundeji : 23 votes, Godday Erewa : 12 Votes, Raphael Ademulegun : 11 Votes.

In Ondo Central, Mr Adedipe had 82 votes, Mr Akinyelure polled 58 votes, while Clement Faboyede scored 57 votes.

Akinyelure blamed former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko for being the brain behind his inability to win the  Senatorial ticket as the Party’s candidate ahead of 2023 general election.

Reacting to the outcome of the primary election, Akinyelure expressed regret that despite all he did to help the people of Ondo Central Senatorial District, the delegates paid him back with an instruction from Mimiko that he should be voted out.

“As a ranking Senator and with all I have done for them in Ondo Central Senatorial District, the three ad-hoc delegates that favour Olusegun Mimiko, they gave instructions for them to vote me out. I am happy for this but I know my God will never fail.

“I know what I am talking about. We have six Local Governments in the Central, by the grace of God I am still a sitting Senator.

“The election was so transparent, but I know that with the volume of what I have done for Ondo Central Senatorial District, I did not expect to be paid this way. But I have a destiny that nobody can stop.”

These are some of the sidelines that trailed the PDP Primary election with some members of the party applauding the development.