Ondo 2020: Crisis brews in ZLP over choice of running mate

Members from Ondo Northern Senatorial district may dump ZLP

Crisis is brewing in the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) following the alleged refusal of the party and its governorship candidate in Ondo State, Hon. Agboola Ajayi to pick a running mate from Akoko kingdom in the northern senatorial district of the State.

A report said the deputy governor and the party have settled for the former commissioner for Works, Mr. Gboye Adegbenro as the running mate.

According to a chieftain of ZLP said “any moment from now, Adegbenro will be unveiled as the running mate”.

Adegbenro, who hails from Ilara-Mokin in Ifedore local government in Ondo central senatorial is a close ally of former governor Olusegun Mimiko and he spent six years as commissioner for works in Mimiko’s government.

A former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Taofik Abdusalam, former commissioner for Sports, Hon. Yekini Olanipekun and former Commissioner for women affairs, Mrs. Simi Odunbakun were among Akoko indigenes who jostled for Ajayi’s running mate ticket.

Olanipekun has however dissociated himself from aiming to become a running mate of Agboola .

It was learnt that Mimiko dumped party members from Akoko because former deputy governor, Alhaji Olanusi, who was approached by the ZLP to nominate a running mate refused to join forces with his estranged former boss.

It will be recalled that Mimiko met Olanusi at his residence in Alagbaka Akure, on the need to use his political connection in the northern senatorial district to mobilise votes for ZLP during the October 10, gubernatorial poll.

Olanusi was said to have turned down such offer due to the political implication of working for another party while still in APC.

Also, the former Deputy governor, who is the Chairman of Benin Owena Basin Development Authority believes that mobilising for another party against his party will automatically cost him his job.

However, it was gathered that the decision of ZLP to pick it’s running mate from Ondo central may soon lead to mass defection from the party.

It was learnt that many of the party chieftains from Ondo North are unsatisfied with the choice of Adegbenro.

A leader of the party said “we are only waiting for party to make it official before we know the next step to take which may be leaving the party for APC.

“In as much ZLP is not picking it’s running mate from Akoko, then the party should forget about the votes of Akoko people.

” The APC candidate is from Owo and Owo local government is in the northern senatorial district. We will rather mobilise for him so that he will complete the eight years of Ondo north”