On April 25, APC Selects Ondo Gov Candidate and Files Form at N50m

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has revealed their timeline and sequence of events leading up to the party’s nomination of a candidate on April 25, 2024, ahead of the governorship election in Ondo State on November 16, 2024.

Sulaimon Argungu, the National Organising Secretary of the party, signed the APC schedule that was made public late on Monday.

The party states that the primary election is scheduled for April 25, 2024, and that the selling of nominations, expressions of interest, and delegate forms for contestants will start on April 3 and expire on April 10, 2024.

Similar to its Edo State gubernatorial primary, which yielded Monday Okpebholo as the front-runner, the APC set the fees for Ondo’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms at N10 million and N40 million, respectively.

The party stated that while the Nomination Form is free, female candidates and those with disabilities must pay for the Expression of Interest.

According to the APC, “Youths between the ages of 25 and 40 are to purchase Expression of Interest forms with a 50% discount on Nomination Forms.”

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, a former deputy governor of Ondo who succeeded the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu following the latter’s death on December 27, 2023, is one of the leading candidates for the APC ticket in Ondo. Jimoh Ibrahim, a senator from Ondo South, and Wale Akinterinwa, a former state commissioner for finance, both desire the party’s ticket.

Due to legal disputes and judicial rulings, governorship elections are held off-year in eight states, including Ondo and Edo. Anambra, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, and Osun are the remaining states.

Political rivals are already facing off in the two states where this year’s governorship elections will take place. Although all 19 political parties are predicted to run a candidate, the polls predict that this election will, like the last one, be decided by two or, at most, three horses.