A former speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Jumoke Akindele, has declared her bid to contest the seat of Ondo South Senatorial District in the Senate in the 2007 elections.
On speculation over a possible earlier vacancy before 2027, Akindele made it clear that she prefers to contest the full 2027 mandate rather than pursue a short tenure.
The seat is presently vacant with the appointment and posting of the former holder, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as an ambassador.
She declared her bid in an interactive session with journalists sending a clear message to party leaders and political stakeholders that the battle for Ondo South has begun.
By virtue of his confirmation by the Senate, and his posting to the United Nations as Nigeria’s representative, Jimoh vacated his position in the Senate as the Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District.
The Senate earlier on Monday declared the district’s seat in the Senate vacant,and ordered a bye election in 30 days on accordance with the constitutional stipulation.
However the former speaker is not contesting the forthcoming bye election to replace Jimoh. She is gunning for the full race in the 2027;election.
The former speaker rejected token representation, and pushes gender inclusion, zoning balance, grassroots politics, and consensus in picking aspirants.
She is aspiring on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Akindele unveiled a broad political agenda built around party consensus, fair play, women inclusion and stronger grassroots representation.
She said her decision followed wide consultations and deep reflection, stressing that her interest is driven by service, not title.
Akindele described herself as a tested public servant with the experience needed to represent the district effectively at the National Assembly.
Her credentials include:
Former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly
Two-term member of the Assembly, and
Lawyer with nearly 40 years legal experience
She said Ondo South needs an experienced, bold and people-focused voice in Abuja.
According to her, meaningful representation cannot be achieved in less than one year.
She argued that public office should be about delivering results, not merely changing titles.
However, she acknowledged that final decisions on candidacy rest with the APC leadership, insisting that party structures must be respected.
In what appears to be a direct intervention in internal APC calculations, Akindele endorsed consensus as the best route for choosing candidates—provided it is transparent and inclusive.
She said as a lawyer, she believes in settlement before litigation, adding that politics should operate on the same principle.
According to her, party leaders should first engage aspirants honestly and seek internal agreement. Where that fails, direct primaries should follow.
She warned against imposition of candidates and shutting aspirants out without explanation
“You don’t lock people out without telling them why,” she said.
Akindele admitted that aspirants from Okitipupa Local Government have not reached any internal consensus.
She revealed that multiple hopefuls from Ayeka, Ikoya and Okitipupa town are already in the race, making negotiations more complicated.
Her comments suggest that the Okitipupa axis may become one of the most decisive political blocs in the APC contest.
On zoning, Akindele said while the Constitution does not officially recognize zoning, political fairness and established conventions often shape candidate selection.
She noted that Ese-Odo Local Government has not produced a senator, but argued that with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa coming from the Ilaje/Ese-Odo federal constituency, giving the Senate seat to the same axis may create political imbalance.
She reasoned that if the Senate ticket also goes there, the House of Representatives may remain in the same bloc, concentrating power.
Her position signals support for shifting the Senate ticket to another area of Ondo South.
Akindele also made a passionate case for women’s political inclusion, lamenting that Ondo State has never produced a female senator.
She said women have demonstrated competence across sectors and deserve equal opportunities in governance.
Citing countries like South Africa, Rwanda, Senegal and Kenya, she urged political leaders in Ondo State to embrace the global trend of gender inclusion.
According to her, one of the greatest legacies any governor can leave is opening doors for women in leadership.
Responding to debates over loyalty and electability, Akindele said nobody can question her loyalty, insisting she has always stood by people and causes she believes in.
On winnability, she said popularity is not built by titles or previous offices alone.
Instead, she listed the real factors that decide elections:
Grassroots connection
Community acceptance
Cultural identity
Accessibility to the people
She added that her victories in Okitipupa were made possible because the people knew her roots and trusted her family background.
Promises of Active Representation
Akindele criticized what she called passive representation, accusing some lawmakers of limiting politics to handouts and empty promises.
She said if elected, she would focus on:
Speaking boldly for Ondo South
Sponsoring impactful laws
Ensuring implementation of approved projects
Attracting federal presence to the district
Women empowerment
Child welfare
Economic growth
Tackling sea incursion in Ayetoro
Completing roads linking Ondo, Ore and Okitipupa
Political Signals
She also disclosed that she had informed former political allies and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim of her ambition, saying there was no opposition to her aspiration.
Her declaration is expected to reshape permutations within the APC as the scramble for the Ondo South ticket intensifies.
With consensus, zoning, gender inclusion and bloc politics now in play, Akindele has clearly positioned herself as one of the major early contenders in the 2027 contest.
