Those who had laid low waiting to read Governor Mimiko’s direction before proceeding with their governorship plans have now begun to show up irrespective of the recent speculation of an anointed candidate.

Mimiko

The development has not surprisingly led to tension within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as those not supposedly positively positioned in the outgoing governor’s succession plans are now taking to bashing the party.

The internal critics are especially miffed by the governor’s determination to pick his successor from the Central Senatorial District, the same district where he is from.

Anointed candidate

While the governor’s aides deny that there is an anointed candidate, the party in the state through its spokesman, Banji Okunomo also rose to douse the tension by denying the speculations about an anointed candidate.

The expectation of many has been that the successor to the governor should be from either the North or the South, given that the outgoing is from Central. However, some affirm that given that all the three zones have taken a bite, the next governor could come from any of the three zones especially given that zoning has never applied in the allocation of the office.

An aide to the incumbent had this to say “The picking of candidates by any party is always a deliberate attempt for victory. There is nothing to share in zero.”

The registered number of voters and the percentage released by  INEC showed that the  central has 615;157 voters representing 39:78%, the North 418,926 representing 27.10%  while the South has 511998 representing  33.12%.

However, a quick perusal of the chances of some of the front runners would put paid to the issue of zoning/ rotation in the coming election.

From all indications five of the aspirants in the ruling party are serious about their ambitions while others are just passengers seeking for relevance. The major contenders include  include three commissioners, one former Director General National Sports Commission NSC, Gbenga Elegbeleye who is from the northern senatorial district and a former commissioner for sport Alhaji Yekini Olanipekun also from the North.

Three of the serving commissioners are alleged to be in the race and they include  Sola Ebiseni from the South, who just resigned as Environment and Mineral Resources Commissioner to pursue his ambition, Eyitayo Jegede SAN presently the Attorney General and Justice Commissioner from the Central and the commissioner for Chieftaincy and Local government Affairs Bamiduro Dada from the North.

The duo of Jegede and Dada are set to also resign ahead of the party’s primaries slated for early September this year.

It is, however, clear that the battle for the ticket is between Ebiseni and Jegede who are about the most trusted and loyal lieutenants of the governor and Elegbeleye who seems to have a joker up his sleeves.

Ebiseni has being in the saddle as commissioners with Mimiko for six years while Jegede has been there for nearly eight years

Mimiko, it is claimed, is said to have found himself in a political dilemma of choosing between his two “boys”. But the pendulum is said to be swinging towards the Senior Advocate of Nigeria  going by feelers from the party.

Elegbeleye’s chances may have been challenged by the aspiration of Bamiduro and another former commissioner for Sports Alhaji Yekini Olanipekun who is equally very popular and a grassroot mobilize in the zone. If the party decides to pick a deputy from the north either Olanipekun or Elegbeleye would be a good choice.

Others aspirants from the north include Senator Remi Okunrinboye, Dayo Fadahunsi and Prince Nekan Olateru Olagbegi amongst others.

From all indications , the ruling party is not looking towards the north senatorial district because it’s performances in past elections in the zone were not impressive.

Flag bearer and deputy

The incumbent Deputy governor Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo hails from the area. The position of either the Speaker of the House of Assembly or Secretary to government may be ceded to the zone.

Although the opposition APC in the state has denied zoning the governorship seat to the North where it is more popular, feelers from its leaders indicated that the zone will produce the party’s flag bearer.

As it stands if the PDP picks it’s candidate from central and deputy from the south and the opposition goes to the North  for its flag bearer and deputy from central, then the battle will be fierce.