No fewer than 63 people are aspiring to succeed Governor Ayodele Fayose.
Political parties wishing to present candidates for the July 14 election have barely a month to conduct primaries for the purpose of picking who fly their flags.
The aspirants include three clergies, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
They are the Reverend Tunde Afe of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), Pastor Taiwo Oladeji of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the current Deputy Governor of the state, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church also of PDP.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) has the highest number of 41 persons while the ruling PDP has 11 persons.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP), Accord Party, Alliance for Democracy (AD), Independent Democrats (ID), Young Party of Nigeria and ANRP present the remaining number of persons.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed between April 15 and May 14 within which to conduct primaries in the state.
Only the PDP and APC have so far fixed dates for their primaries.
The APC has picked May 5 while the PDP has fixed its primary for May 8.
At the last count, only 17 persons out of the 41 of the aspirants in APC have obtained nomination forms from the party’s national secretariat while only six of the PDP’s 11 persons obtained the form.
Sources at the state office of INEC said no fewer than 22 political parties would be participating in the governorship election.
High-profile contenders like former governors Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi and current Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Sen. Babafemi Ojudu, are to watch as political events unfold in the state, observers note.
Others are former Ekiti Assembly Speaker, Mr Femi Bamisile, Sen. Ayo Arise; son of former governor of old Ondo State, Muyiwa Olumilua as well Mr Opeyemi Bamidele, Bimbo Daramola and Bamidele Faparusi who had served in the House of Representatives.
In PDP, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, is said to enjoy the support and sponsorship of the incumbent Gov. Ayo Fayose.
Others in PDP are Sen. Abiodun Olujimi; former Minister of State for Works Dayo Adeyeye and Ambassador Dare Bejide, among others.
APC Publicity Secretary Taiwo Olatunbosun, however, said there is nothing wrong with the large number of persons seeking to be the state governor in his party, saying it was a sign of absolute confidence the members reposed in the party.
He explained that it is a pointer to the “belief that APC parades more qualified and credible persons in its ranks than any party in the state.”
He said that such a scenario also showed that the party was a platform where men and women of substance could pursue their ambition without hindrance.
He promised that all the interested persons would be given a level playing ground during primaries, adding that none of the aspirants would be short-changed during the process.
Also commenting, the PDP Chairman in the state, Chief Gboyega Oguntuase, told NAN that neither the party nor the governor ever stopped any intending aspirants from pursuing their ambition.