Agboola Ajayi has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the November 16 gubernatorial election in Ondo State.

Mr Agboola, a former deputy governor to late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, was elected at the PDP’s primary election on Thursday.

He scored 264 votes to beat six other aspirants to emerge the winner of the shadow election held in Akure, the state capital.

Seven aspirants participated in the poll supervised by Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, deputy governor of Bayelsa and chairman of the PDP’s primary election committee.

Mr Ewhrudjakpo said other aspirants, Adeolu Akinwumi, scored 64 votes; Olusola Ebiseni scored 99 votes; Bamidele Akingboye polled 24 votes; Kolade Akinjo 157 votes; Bosun Arebuwa polled two votes, and John Mafo scored nine votes.

Stating that the election was free and fair, he explained that 627 delegates participated in the exercise.

Mr Ajayi, who hails from Kiribo town in Ese Odo LGA of the state, will now face the incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the APC in the governorship election.

A legal practitioner and a former member of the House of Representatives from Ilaje/Ese Odo federal, Mr Ajayi was the former deputy governor to the late Akeredolu and served in the administration between 2017 and 2021 under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

But both men fell apart on the altar of ambition after Mr Ajayi resigned his membership of the APC and joined the PDP in a dramatic move.