The immediate past governor of Oyo state Senator Abiola Ajimobi has been confirmed dead, according to family sources.
He was said to have died of COVID-19 complications at First Cardiology Specialist Hospital, Lagos after reportedly battling coronavirus-related symptoms for a month.
Ajimobi, 70, was also the deputy national chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Born on 16 December 1949 to the Ajimobi of Ibadan at Oja-Iba, Ibadan, his grandfather was Sobaloju of Ibadan Land (a chief in the royal court of Ibadan).
His uncle, Hon. N.A. Ajimobi was minister of works and transport in the Western Region.
His father, Pa Ajimobi, was also an Honourable member of the House of Assembly in the Old Western region.
He started his education at Saint Patricks Primary School, Oke-Padre in Ibadan. He completed his primary education at Ibadan City Council Primary School, Aperin.
His secondary education was at Lagelu Grammar School. As a high school student he was active in athletics, table tennis, and football including serving as the school’s games prefect.
Ajimobi university education was in the United States of America, where he studied Business Administration and Finance at the State University of New York, in Buffalo, New York graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree.
His MBA was in Operations Research and Marketing with a concentration in Finance at Governors State University, University Park, Illinois.
In 2003, Ajimobi became a Senator of the Republic of Nigeria. Ajimobi was a principal officer in the Senate, serving as the Deputy Minority leader of the Senate.
In 2007, Ajimobi contested the governorship election on the umbrella of the All Nigeria Peoples Party but lost. He then contested again in 2011 on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria and won.
Ajimobi contested for a second term in an election that took place on April 11, 2015.
He contested under the All Progressive Congress for re-election against two of his predecessors in office, Christopher Alao Akala and Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.
In the event of his re-election into office as the Governor, Ajimobi is the first person to occupy the seat twice and as well in succession.
He was declared the winner of the Oyo State gubernatorial election by the Independent Electoral Commission.
He was picked as All Progressive Congress Oyo South senatorial candidate on 28 September 2018.
On March 9, 2019, Ajimobi lost the Oyo South senatorial district seat to People’s Democratic Party (Nigeria) Kola Balogun.
