A former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Ajayi Agboola, has joined the race to represent the people of the southern senatorial district in the Senate .
He positioned himself as the most experienced and widely accepted candidate to represent the district.
Ajayi, who also served as a member of the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2011, made the declaration while addressing journalists in Akure, outlining a long political career that spans grassroots leadership to national politics.
He said the his decision followed extensive consultations with key stakeholders, traditional rulers, party leaders, and the state leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
He said he had traversed the political landscape from councillor, local government chairman, party secretary, to Deputy Governor and member of the National Assembly.
Ajayi strongly anchored his ambition on the agitation for zoning within Ondo South, arguing that his local government has yet to produce a senator in the current democratic dispensation.
He maintained that political equity demands that the senatorial slot be ceded to his constituency in 2027.
“Out of the six local governments in Ondo South, mine is the only one that has not produced a senator. By all political calculations and fairness, it is our turn,” he stated.
On the reported exit of the current senator, Ajayi called for political maturity and continuity, suggesting that the existing arrangement should be respected.
He revealed that he had personally consulted with Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, dismissing claims of political rift between them.
“I met him one-on-one. He told me himself that I am the most qualified among those aspiring. We are not enemies; political differences do not make us adversaries,” Ajayi said.
He added that he is not interested in any impending by-election, stressing that his focus remains firmly on the 2027 general elections.
“The party has guidelines—consensus where possible, and if not, primaries. No single individual can impose a candidate. That is not possible in Ondo State,” he added
He also distanced himself from alleged APC factions, describing himself as a neutral stakeholder.
“I don’t belong to any group. I belong to the party and the people. At my level, I should be a unifying figure, not a factional politician,” he added.
Reacting to claims that former members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may struggle to secure APC tickets, Ajayi dismissed the argument, emphasizing his political strength and grassroots appeal.
“My name is a household name in Ondo State. Politics is about individuals and popularity, not just party labels,” he said.
“Senate Is Not for Learners”
Ajayi stressed that the Senate requires experienced and competent lawmakers, warning against electing candidates without the necessary exposure.
“The Senate is not a place for trial and error. It requires people who understand governance, legislation, and national dynamics,” he noted.
Ajayi also claimed he outperformed many past representatives from the district, citing key infrastructure projects he facilitated.
Among them, he listed the installation of a 132KV electricity substation that improved power supply in Ondo South, as well as major road and bridge projects linking the region to neighbouring Delta State.
He lamented that many of the projects were abandoned after his tenure.
“I laid the foundation for major development projects, but they were not completed. That is why I want to return—to finish what I started,” he said.
With his declaration, the race for the Ondo South Senatorial seat in 2027 is expected to intensify, as political alignments and zoning debates begin to shape the contest.
He maintained that political equity demands that the senatorial slot be ceded to his local government in 2027 just as zoning arrangement foreclosed an Apoi person of the Ese-Odo to contest House of Assembly election.