OYOGist.com has learned that following a media story that five political gladiators are vying to become Deputy Governor of Ondo County, Hon. Ajayi Agboola, the candidate for governor of the Zenith Labor Party, ZLP, former Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Hon Yekini Olanipekun, has denied his involvement in lobbying for the party’s deputy governorship bid.
Speaking with SUNSHINETRUTH, Olanipekun, who served as Commissioner under the administration of former Governor Olusegun Mimiko, clarified that he had never addressed the issue with the ZLP or its leadership, nor had he sent anyone to lobby the Deputy Governorship Slot for him in the run-up to the election.
There has been a claim of five individuals, namely: the State Chairman of the ZLP, Hon Joseph Akinlaja of Ondo West; the former Commissioner for Women’s Affairs of Mimiko, Mrs Olanisimi Odunmbaku of Akoko North East Local Government Area, and Olanipekun are lobbying for Agboola to be a running mate.
Former Speaker of the State Assembly House and former Works Commissioner, Rt Hon Taofeek Olawale Abdulsalam, from Akoko North East, as well as former Works Commissioner under Mimiko, Engineer Gboye Adegbenro from Ifedore Local Government Area, are also in the front seat of the Deputy Governor Seat.
Nevertheless, the former Sports Commissioner, who is from Akoko Northwest Local Government Area of the State, said he was not involved, warning against dropping his name on political issues, he did not know anything about it.
He noted that he is currently concentrating on his business venture and not actively involved in politics, adding that he had never gone to any political conference or meeting to campaign for any position before the election.
Olanipekun said he didn’t have anything against any political party, but he’d be concentrating on his personal business and not playing politics for the time being as the October 10 gubernatorial election approached.
