DETAILS emerged on Monday on how incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State secured the majority votes in Saturday’s primary to emerge as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the November 16 governorship poll.
The governor was declared the candidate of the poll on Sunday night after due collation of the results of the direct primary held across the local government areas in the state.
According to the figures of the election, Aiyedatiwa got huge votes in Owo, Idanre, Ese Odo, Ilee Oluji-Oke Igbo, Ondo West, Ilaje, Akoko North East, Akoko North West, Akoko South West and Akoko South East Local Government areas.
The rest included: Ose, Irele, Akure North, Akure South, Ondo East and Okitipupa LGAs
The other contestants for the APC ticket included: Honourable Mayowa Akinfolarin, Chief Olusola Oke, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Mr Wale Akinterinwa, Hon. Isaac Kekemeke, Hon. Gbenga Edema, Mr Ohunyeye Olamide Felix, Honourable Olujimi Odimayo, Mr Olusoji Ehinlanwo, Morayo Lebi, Prince Diran Iyantan, Professor Francis Faduyile, Mr Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Mrs. Funmilayo Waheed Adekojo and Mrs Funke Omogoroye.
The statistics of the primary showed that out of a total 117, 922 prospective voters, the number of those that were accredited was 95,178; total vote cast 95,178; valid votes were 95,178 and there was no invalid vote.
The final results of the election were announced by the Kogi State governor and chairman of the APC Ondo APC Governorship Election Committee, Usman Ododo.
Ododo said Aiyedatiwa polled 48,569 votes to defeat 15 other aspirants from 17 of the 18 local government areas, as election did not hold in Ifedore LGA due to a security breach.
The Returning Officer for Ifedore LGA, Oliver Okpala, explained that there was shooting in the area, while residents were scared to come out.
According to him, all the wards visited by his team were empty and the election could not take place while the incident was reported at the police station.
However, the primary, which of the stakeholders acknowledged recorded a large turnout of party faithful, was, rescheduled in Okitipupa for Sunday.
The final results of the election showed that Mayowa Akinfolarin came second, polling 15,343 votes.
Speaking before the party’s electoral officers released the results from the 18 council areas, Ododo urged the aspirants to continue to work together for the development of the party and to win the state.
He said: “Let’s remember that the real election lies with all of us as members of this great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We must always reflect on the words of our father and leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has maintained that a political contest is a quest to serve by brothers and sisters from the same family but living in the same room and must therefore live in the same house after the election has been won and lost.
“In our own room today, we are all in the same room as a family, and as such, we have no need to abandon the party, irrespective of today’s outcome. We must set aside our differences and unite behind our candidate.
“In our unity, we shall continue to find strength, and our victory lies in our solidarity as party men and women.”
The chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin, commended the election committee for the success of the exercise, with an assurance that the APC would do all within its reach to remain the party to beat in any election.
He called on all the aspirants to come together to make the APC great again, saying there is a greater strength in the spirit of togetherness.
In his acceptance speech, Aiyedatiwa, after the declaration and affirmation as the candidate of the APCy by the committee, said the time to win together as a party had come after the heavy politics within the party to pick a flag bearer for the party.
According to him, what matters most at this particular period is the greatness of the party, appealing to all the aspirants and other stakeholders to join hands with him to build a better future.
He commended all the aspirants, in the primary saying their participation has created so much awareness within and outside our party, which, according to him,have enriched our democracy and strengthened our party in the state.
Aiyedatiwa said “The internally orchestrated heavy politics within our party, APC, in search of our flag-bearer in the forthcoming gubernatorial election has come to a conclusion today with the emergence of a candidate as declared by the Governorship Primary Election Committee under the chairmanship of His Excellency, Governor Usman Ododo, the Governor of Kogi State.
“Let me at this time acknowledge and thank all the aspirants who threw their hats into the ring in the family contest to be the flag-bearer: Honourable Mayowa Akinfolarin, Chief Olusola Oke, Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, Hon. Isaac D. Kekemeke, Hon. Gbenga Edema, Mr. Ohunyeye Olamide Felix, Honourable Olujimi Odimayo, Mr. Olusoji Ehinlanwo, Morayo Lebi Esq, Prince Diran Iyantan, Professor Francis Faduyile, Mr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Mrs. Funmilayo Waheed Adekojo and Mrs. Funke Omogoroye.
“Your participation has created so much awareness within and outside our party. You mobilized our members and removed apathy. You have also brought in numerous new members into the party”
He said: “Democracy sometimes, after a contest like this, comes with discordant tunes. But this is not the time to hold grudges against anyone but for all of us to come together to work for the success of our great party so as to remain in power.
“We will all gain in this party, though at different times, if we keep faith. I salute your courage and keen interest to lead the State towards development. It is your right and you are qualified and worthy members of our party.
“I want to specially thank the President and Leader of our party, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his leadership. I thank the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, the National Chairman of our party, Alhaji Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, the Progressive Governors, National and State Working Committees of our party and all stakeholders in the state for their forthrightness in the processes leading to my emergence as the flag-bearer for our party in the Ondo 2024 governorship election.
“I thank all our traditional rulers, institutional heads, civil servants and all the stakeholders who have chosen me as their preferred candidate. I also thank all the party leaders, including the APC Aborigines, members of the campaign team and all others who toured the entire 18 local government areas together with me to engage with our party members. I do not take for granted the love shown to me by our members across the state.”
Final result of votes from each Local Government Area
- Owo
Jimoh 192
Adekojo 9
Ohunyeye 41
Lucky Aiyedatiwa 2123
Akinfolarin 315
Akinterinwa 37
Olusola Oke 225
- Idanre
Jimoh 120
Aiyedatiwa 1579
Akinfolarin 1157
Akinterinwa 119
Oke 225
Odimayo 18
- Ese Odo
Kekemeke 72
Ibrahim 174
Aiyedatiwa 298
Oke 147
Oyedele 8
- Ile Oluji/ Oke Igbo
Kekemeke 60
Ibrahim 282
Ohunyeye 14
Aiyedatiwa 1225
Akinterinwa 494
Oke 1004
Odimayo 19
- Ondo West
Ehinlanwo 150
Ibrahim 2268
Aiyedatiwa 10610
Akinfolarin 2481
Akinterinwa 29
Oke 1736
Odimayo 5
- Ilaje
Kekemeke 24
Ehinlanwo 246
Edema 230
Ibrahim 589
Adekojo 11
Ohunyeye 07
Aiyedatiwa 2485
Akinfolarin 962
Akinterinwa 26
Oke 2511
Morayo 13
Iyantan 11
Faduyile 17
Oyedele 52
Odimayo 29
- Ifedore
No election as a result of violence.
- Akoko North East
Ibrahim 505
Aiyedatiwa 1664
Akinfolarin 609
Akinterinwa 135
Oke 138
Faduyile 50
- Akoko North West
Kekemeke 513
Edema 4
Ibrahim 728
Adekojo 486
Ohunyeye 55
Aiyedatiwa 5430
Akinfolarin 849
Akinterinwa 198
Oke 2721
Iyantan 99
Faduyile 25
Odimayo 02
- Akoko South West
Ehinlanwo 71
Ibrahim 67
Ohunyeye 10
Aiyedatiwa 2533
Akinfolarin 678
Akinterinwa 43
Oke 391
Omogoroye 34
Odimayo 5
- Akoko South East
Kekemeke 66
Ehinlanwo 10
Edema 6
Jimoh 466
Ohunyeye
Aiyedatiwa 2747
Oke 419
- Ose
Kekemeke 169
Edema 1
Ibrahim 267
Adekojo 02
Ohunyeye 07
Aiyedatiwa 1491
Akinfolarin 210
Akinterinwa 39
Oke 800
Oyedele 15
Odimayo 16
- Irele
Kekemeke 12
Ibrahim 139
Adekojo 7
Ohunyeye 10
Aiyedatiwa 1203
Akinfolarin 391
Akinterinwa 15
Oke 93
Morayo 157
Faduyile 10
Odimayo 50
- Odigbo
Kekemeke 60
Ibrahim 845
Ohunyeye 38
Aiyedatiwa 2631
Akinfolarin 1709
Akinterinwa 114
Oke 146
Faduyile 75
Oyedele 8
Odimayo 8
- Akure North
Ibrahim 1606
Edema 150
Aiyedatiwa 2860
Akinfolarin 894
Ohunyeye 20
Akinterinwa 177
Oke 1239
Faduyile 28
Oyedele 77
Odimayo 218
- Akure South
Kekemeke 66
Ehinlanwo 11
Edema 4
Ibrahim 294
Adekojo 7
Ohunyeye 75
Aiyedatiwa 3265
Akinfolarin 683
Akinterinwa 86
Oke 328
Morayo 91
Iyantan 27
Faduyile 5
Omogoroye 27
Oyedele 8
Odimayo 52
- Ondo East
Oke 1171
Aiyedatiwa 4803
Akinterinwa 141
Jimoh 406
- Okitipupa
Ibrahim 109
Ohunyeye 96
Aiyedatiwa 1622
Akinfolarin 116
Akinterinwa 27
Oke 1571
Morayo 29
Iyantan 58
Faduyile 32
Omogoroye 34
Oyedele 59
Odimayo 33
Votes according to aspirants
Jimi Odimayo 490
Omogoroye Judith 115
Lucky Aiyedatiwa 48, 569
Isaacs Kekemeke 1045
Soji Ehinlanwo 492
Gbenga Edema 395
Ibrahim jimoh 9456
Waheed Adekojo 529
Mayowa Akinfolarin 15,343
Wale Akinterinwa 1,952
Oke Olusola 14,915
Felix Ohunyeye 424
Levi Morayo 290
Diran Iyantan 348
Dayo Faduyile 353
Ife Oyedele 462
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