Ajayi Alfred Agboola

Alfred Agboola Ajayi (born 24 September 1968) is a Nigerian politician, lawyer, and businessman who served as deputy governor of Ondo State from 2017 to 2021. On 21 June 2020, Ajayi resigned his membership from the ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC) and defected to the opposition party Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing irreconcilable differences between him and his governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, and stating that the APC party 'has become a poisoned space'. He then joined Zenith Labour Party after losing the PDP gubernatorial primaries to Eyitayo Jegede. He was the 2020 gubernatorial candidate of Ondo State in Zenith Labour Party led by former governor Olusegun Mimiko.

Ajayi was born on 24 September 1968 to Chief Newton Ajayi and Mrs Rebecca Ogunjinte (née Olubusade). He hails from Kiribo Town of the Western Apoi tribe in the Ese Odo Local Government Area (LGA) of Ondo State. He attended Community High School in Kiribo Town and later moved to Methodist High School in Okitipupa LGA. He then went on to study Law at Igbinedion University, Okada in Edo State and graduated with a Bachelor of Law (LL.B) in 2nd Class Upper division; subsequently, he received his Call to the Bar in 2010 after graduating from the Nigerian Law School in Abuja.

Ajayi started his political career under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and became the chairman of SDP in Old Opoi Ward 1 from 1988 to 1998. He later joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998 and served as the Secretary of PDP in Ilaje/Ese Odo LGA between 1998 and 1999. He was then the Supervisor for Agriculture for Ese-Odo LGA from 1999 to 2001, and subsequently the Supervisor for Works and Transport for Ese-Odo LGA from 2001 to 2003. He became the Caretaker Chairman of Ese Odo LGA between 2003 and 2004 before being elected as the chairman of Ese-Odo LGA from 2004 to 2007. He also served as a former member of the Federal House of Representatives, representing Ilaje/Ese Odo federal constituency under PDP. During his time in the House, Ajayi served as the chairman of the House Committee on NDDC from 2007 to 2010.

Ajayi decamped from PDP to APC and contested the 2016 Ondo State Governorship election as the running mate to Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN). The pair won the election and were sworn in as governor and deputy governor of Ondo State on 24 February 2017. He contested the October 2020 Governorship election with Gboye Adegbenro as his running mate. On 11 October 2020, Akeredolu and Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa were re-elected Governor and Deputy Governor of Ondo State. On 25 February 2021, Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa were sworn into office as Governor and Deputy Governor of Ondo State respectively.

In 2019, Ajayi was accused of lying to gain admission into the Nigerian Law School while still employed by the Nigerian government. He has also faced political battles with Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, accusing him of attempting to limit his political ambitions. Ajayi initially denied any issues with Akeredolu, dismissing the claims as political propaganda orchestrated by 'political jobbers'. However, on 20 June 2020, after a governor’s order, police restricted him from leaving his official residence for over four hours. After gaining freedom, he resigned from APC, registered his PDP membership, and moved to Apoi Ward 2 in Ese-Odo LGA.

Since his defection, Governor Akeredolu and APC have called on Ajayi to resign his position as deputy governor. Ajayi has refused to resign, claiming he remains the elected deputy governor despite switching parties. On 23 June 2020, Governor Akeredolu ordered the withdrawal of Ajayi’s seven aides, including those assigned to his wife. Rumours of impeachment against him persist, with claims that members of the Ondo State House of Assembly are plotting to remove him from office. Ajayi is married to Chief Ajewole Agboola Ajayi JP and has children.