After months of intense campaigns and political intrigues, Ondo residents have chosen their governor for the next four years – Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State.
Aiyedatiwa, the incumbent governor of the Sunshine State defeated his challenger in the two-horse race, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by a landslide, polling 366,781 votes. Ajayi scored 117,845 votes to come second.
INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi declared the APC’s governorship candidate winner of the election having scored majority of the votes cast during the election.
In the results, Aiyedatiwa won in all 18 local government areas. He secured 14,157 votes as against the PDP candidate’s 5,837 in Ifedore LG.
In Ondo East LG, the APC garnered 8,163 votes, while the PDP’S candidate managed 2,843. In Ile Oluji/Oke Igbo LG, Aiyedatiwa polled 16,600 votes, compared to the PDP’s 4,442.
In Idanre LG, the APC’S candidate scored 9,114 votes, while the PDP flagbearer obtained 8,940. In Irele LG, the APC received 17,117 votes, while the PDP polled 6,601.
Similarly, Aiyedatiwa achieved a landslide victory over Ajayi in Akoko South West, where he secured 29,700 votes to his opponent’s 5,517.
In Owo LG, the APC’S candidate triumphed with 31,914 votes, leaving the PDP candidate with a mere 4,740 votes. Aiyedatiwa also claimed a resounding victory in Ondo West, recording 20,755 votes against his closest rival’s 4,740.
In Akoko South East, the APC flagbearer scored 12,140 votes, while the PDP’S candidate obtained 2,692. Aiyedatiwa further extended his lead in Akoko North West, amassing 25,010 votes compared to Ajayi’s 5,502. In Ose LG, Aiyedatiwa also emerged victorious with 16,555 votes, defeating Ajayi, who scored 4,472.
In Akure South LG, Aiyedatiwa achieved another significant win, securing 32,969 votes, while the PDP’s candidate scored 17,928 votes.
The APC candidate repeated his dominance in Akoko North East LG, where he recorded 26,667 votes against the PDP candidate’s 5,072.
Aiyedatiwa polled 26,811 votes in Okitipupa, leaving Agboola Ajayi trailing with 10,233 votes.
In Akure North, the APC candidate achieved another resounding win, securing 14,451 votes, while Ajayi managed 5,787 votes.
In Odigbo, the APC candidate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, secured 26,683 votes, defeating Agboola Ajayi of the PDP, who polled 9,348 votes.
In Ilaje, Aiyedatiwa’s hometown, he achieved a landslide victory, garnering 24,474 votes, while Ajayi managed just 3,632 votes to come second.
In Ese-Odo, Ajayi’s local government area, Aiyedatiwa triumphed again, polling 14,511 votes compared to the PDP candidate’s 7,814 votes.
“That Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of the APC having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” the returning officer said at exactly 2:30 pm at the INEC collation centre in Akure.
The declaration came hours after the collation of results for the election began in the early hours of Sunday. Although the collation centre went on breaks, the APC took a commanding lead with over 200,000 votes ahead of the PDP.
The final results showed that the APC won the election in a landslide, clearing all 18 local government areas.
Having been declared the winner of the election, Aiyedatiwa is set to extend his stay at the helm of affairs in the oil-rich state. He – a former deputy governor – ascended to power on December 27th, 2023 after Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s death.
Akeredolu died on the same day after a lengthy battle with illness and had before his demise transmitted power to Aiyedatiwa.
He thereafter won the APC’s ticket for the 2024 governorship election in Ondo, pitting him against 17 other candidates including Agboola who was also a former deputy to Akeredolu during his first term in office.
Aiyedatiwa faced stiff competition from Agboola in the leadup to the election but in his campaigns, he promised a better economy and welfare package for workers across the state. The governor pointed to his signing of N73,000 as minimum wage – higher than the N70,000 earmarked by the Federal Government – as a pointer to this.
Voting on election day began early with INEC officials arriving at the polling units at dawn. The exercise was largely peaceful with little or known cases of violence.
Governor Aiyedatiwa after casting his vote expressed confidence about his victory, hinging his hopes on the good “works” of his government.
