In a decisive and hard-fought contest, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has emerged victorious in the Ondo State governorship election, securing a commanding mandate to continue his leadership for the next four years.

Aiyedatiwa, who has been serving as the state’s acting governor since December 2023, was declared the winner by the Returning Officer, following the conclusion of the collation process.

He garnered 366,781 votes, far outpacing his main rival, Ajayi Agboola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who secured 117,845 votes – a margin of more than 250,000 votes.

The announcement was made at 2:30pm on Sunday at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation center in Akure, the state capital.

The final results confirmed that Aiyedatiwa, the incumbent governor, had won across all 18 local government areas of Ondo State, further cementing his stronghold on the Sunshine State.

His victory ensures that he will remain in office, following his appointment as governor on December 27, 2023, after the passing of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

Akeredolu’s death had paved the way for Aiyedatiwa, who was his deputy during Akeredolu’s first term, to assume the governorship.

In his victory speech, Aiyedatiwa expressed gratitude to the people of Ondo State for their support, emphasizing the strides his administration had made in the areas of infrastructure, welfare, and economic growth.

“I am humbled by the overwhelming support of our people,” Aiyedatiwa said. “Our government will continue to prioritize the welfare of Ondo residents, ensuring prosperity and progress for all.”

Despite the landslide victory, the election was not without controversy.

Agboola, the PDP candidate, raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.

He accused INEC of intentionally delaying the collation of results, suggesting it was a deliberate tactic to manipulate the outcome.

“This election has been compromised,” Agboola said, alleging widespread vote-buying and malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during the polls.

Observers also noted reports of rampant vote-buying across the state, despite the presence of security personnel at polling stations.

The Situation Room, an election monitoring group, condemned the prevalence of electoral malpractice, warning that vote trading continued unchecked.

“It is a worrying trend,” the group stated in its assessment, urging for urgent reforms to address these challenges in future elections.

In his campaign, Aiyedatiwa focused on promises of economic growth and improved living conditions for workers in the state, pointing to his administration’s initiative to raise the minimum wage to N73,000 – surpassing the Federal Government’s N70,000 threshold.

His team emphasized that these actions demonstrated his commitment to the well-being of Ondo citizens.

With the results now official, Aiyedatiwa is set to continue his leadership of Ondo State, as he prepares to be sworn in for his first full term as governor on December 27, 2023.

The APC’s victory in Ondo represents a significant political win for the ruling party in the South-West region.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has adjourned the collation of results in the Ondo State governorship election until 12:00 PM on Sunday, November 17, with just three local government areas (LGAs) yet to be accounted for.

The collation resumed briefly following a long break, with results from Okitipupa and Akure North LGAs being announced.

In both of these LGAs, APC candidate Lucky Aiyedatiwa emerged victorious, further extending his lead over his main rival, Agboola Ajayi of the PDP.

DAILY GAZETTE earlier reported that Aiyedatiwa secured victories in all 13 LGAs declared so far, with a lead of over 178,000 votes.

Following the latest results, Aiyedatiwa now has a total of 301,113 votes, while Ajayi has earned 97,051 votes. This gives Aiyedatiwa a commanding lead of 204,062 votes.

However, Prof. Olayemi Akinwunmi, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja and the Presiding Officer for the election, announced the adjournment due to delays in receiving results from the remaining three LGAs, which are located at a considerable distance.

The final collation is expected to resume at noon.

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for ensuring a peaceful atmosphere during the state’s governorship election.

Speaking in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday after casting their votes, the APC chieftains praised the punctuality and dedication of INEC’s ad-hoc staff and security personnel, as well as the high voter turnout at polling units.

They particularly highlighted the impressive participation of young people, who came out in large numbers to exercise their civic duties.

The leaders noted that the youth in Ondo State appear to have gained a greater appreciation for the importance of their involvement in the electoral process.

Amid the voting, the APC leaders expressed optimism that the results would favor their candidate, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Princess Oladunni Odu, a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and an APC gubernatorial aspirant, praised INEC and security agencies for ensuring a peaceful election.

Voting at Unit 1, Ward 2, Idepe-Okitipupa, Odu acknowledged the efforts of INEC staff and law enforcement, including the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), for their punctuality and commitment.

“This election has been peaceful. We must give credit to INEC and the security agencies for their professionalism,” Odu said.

“Although the turnout seems lower than in previous elections, I believe more voters will come out later in the day.”

Prof. Adedayo Faduyile, former Special Adviser on Health to the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, also lauded the conduct of the election, calling it peaceful and well-organized. Faduyile, who voted at Unit 5, Ward 6, Ikoya Igbisin-Oloto in Okitipupa, was particularly impressed by the involvement of young voters.

“The election was peaceful, and although the turnout was initially low, I’m encouraged by the large number of youths participating,” Faduyile said.

“It seems they now understand the power of their votes in shaping good governance.”

State lawmaker, Mr. Chris Aiyebusiwa, representing Okitipupa Constituency 1 at the Ondo State House of Assembly, who cast his vote at Unit 11, Ward 1, Ilutitun, Okitipupa LGA, echoed similar sentiments.

He commended INEC and security forces for conducting a credible election, and praised the orderly conduct of voters.

Aiyebusiwa expressed confidence that the APC would secure a victory once the votes were sorted and collated.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, is currently leading by a significant margin in the ongoing Ondo State gubernatorial election.

According to the latest results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Aiyedatiwa has secured 301,113 votes, leading his closest challenger, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by 204,062 votes. Ajayi has garnered 97,051 votes so far.

The results, which have been announced for 15 out of the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs), show a strong performance from the APC candidate.

However, results from three LGAs are still pending.

Collation of results commenced around 12:35 am at the INEC office in Akure, the state capital.

Prof. Olayemi Akinwunmi, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja, is overseeing the process as the Returning Officer.

Key results from some of the LGAs already declared include:

Akure North: APC – 14,451, PDP – 5,787

Okitipupa: APC – 26,811, PDP – 10,233

Ifedore: APC – 14,157, PDP – 5,897

Ondo East: APC – 8,163, PDP – 2,843

Ile Oluji/Okeigbo: APC – 16,600, PDP – 4,442

Idanre: APC – 9,114, PDP – 8,940

Irele: APC – 17,117, PDP – 6,601

Akoko Southwest: APC – 29,700, PDP – 5,517

Owo: APC – 31,914, PDP – 4,740

Ondo West: APC – 20,755, PDP – 6,387

Akoko South-East: APC – 12,140, PDP – 2,692

Akoko Northwest: APC – 25,010, PDP – 5,502

Ose: APC – 16,555, PDP – 4,472

Akure South: APC – 32,969, PDP – 17,926

Akoko North-East: APC – 25,657, PDP – 5,072

Final results from the remaining three LGAs are eagerly awaited as the state approaches the completion of its vote counting.

The Deputy Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Mr. Festus Akingbaso, has raised concerns over the reported presence of thugs in Idanre Local Government Area ahead of today’s governorship election.

Akingbaso, who is also a member of the House of Representatives, voiced his concerns after casting his vote at Polling Unit 005, Oke Imikan, in the Idanre LGA.

While he acknowledged the positive voter turnout and the current security arrangements, Akingbaso expressed his alarm over reports of thugs allegedly being deployed in the area.

“So far, the turnout of voters has been encouraging, and the security situation appears stable. I have no complaints about INEC’s handling of the process thus far,” he said.

However, he urged voters to remain vigilant, advising them to stay at their polling stations after casting their votes until the results were officially declared.

“If everything goes as planned, my party will emerge victorious,” Akingbaso added.

On the issue of thuggery, the PDP deputy candidate claimed that several villages in Idanre, including Ofosun, Omifunfun, and Allah, were reportedly overrun by suspected thugs believed to be working on behalf of the APC.

He singled out Igbepo, another area in Idanre LGA, as a hotspot for thug activity.

“There have been reports that thugs have infiltrated many of the villages, and we received a disturbing report from Ofosun where thugs broke into the home of a party member to prevent him from voting. There are also concerns that there are deliberate plans to block voters in these villages from casting their ballots,” Akingbaso claimed.

He further alleged that the APC had brought in these suspected thugs since Friday and expressed frustration over the apparent inaction of the security agencies.

“I have reported the matter to both the DPO and the DSS, but so far, no significant action has been taken to address the situation,” he said.

Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the incumbent governor of Ondo State and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in today’s governorship election, has cast his vote.

Aiyedatiwa voted at his Polling Unit 05, Ward 4, Obenla in Ilaje Local Government Area (LGA) at 8:52 am.

Speaking to journalists after casting his vote, Aiyedatiwa commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its smooth and well-organized process, particularly in his ward.

He praised the election’s peaceful atmosphere and expressed gratitude towards the security agencies for maintaining order.

“The election has been peaceful, and I have cast my vote. I commend INEC and the security agencies for their professionalism and composure. I encourage all citizens of the state to come out and vote, without fear or favour.”

Aiyedatiwa also expressed confidence in his chances of winning the election, adding that a victory would be a momentous occasion for his party.

“It will be a big celebration for APC,” he said.

Security personnel were present at polling stations to ensure a calm and secure voting environment across the state.