FOLLOWING its landslide at Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to reclaim Oyo and Osun states, which the party lost to the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019 and 2022, respectively.
The resounding victory of the APC at the Ondo poll resonated with the declaration made by national chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on October 20 of the intention of the party to have all the states in the South-West under the control of the party.
Thus, Ganduje said on Saturday that the next project is to reclaim Oyo and Osun states through the ballot box.
He made the assertion shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the incumbent governor and candidate of the APC, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa as the winner in the Saturday Ondo election in all the 18 local government areas in the state.
According to the INEC Presiding Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja, Professor Olayemi Akinwunmi, who declared the result at about 2:35 pm, Aiyedatiwa polled 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the PDP, Agboola Ajayi, who scored 117,845 votes and 15 other candidates.
The margin of lead between the score of Aiyedatiwa and the votes garnered by Ajayi was 248,936 votes.
The presiding officer added that the APC candidate emerged victorious across the 18 local government areas of the state.
He said: “Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of the APC having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of lawful votes cast, is hereby returned elected.”
Governors of the APC, who were at the Government House included Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Dapo Abiodun(Ogun), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti) and Babagana Zulum (Borno).
Others are Monday Okpebholo (Edo), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Bassey Otu (Cross River), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara) and the National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Ganduje and other party leaders.
It will be recalled that while addressing a meeting of APC stakeholders in Ondo State about three weeks ago, the national chairman said his party is poised to take over all six states in the southwest geopolitical zone.
At the moment, the APC controls Ekiti, Ondo, Lagos, and Ogun with the PDP as the ruling parties in Oyo and Osun.
“In this geopolitical zone, we must deliver 100 percent in favour of APC; therefore, Ondo state must be at the forefront,” he said.
“The two other states, I will not reveal our secret, but we assure you, we are strategising. Everything must be 100 percent behind President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
While urging aggrieved party members to bury the hatchet and work for the success of the APC at the Ondo poll, Ganduje stated: “We have made every arrangement at the national level to have a successful election. We are here to give you hope, encourage you, and that this election is a task that must be done.
“We are encouraged by this large crowd of stakeholders. This shows that there is unity, solidarity, and vigour in the party. Those who contested the primary are not losers because there is no victor and vanquished in the exercise.
“We are expecting 90 percent total votes in the forthcoming governorship election. Visit house to house, neighbour to neighbour, and ensure that you go round and mobilise people to come out to vote.”
Speaking on the victory of the party, APC national chairman, Ganduje said the next project of the party is to reclaim power in Osun and Oyo State respectively.
Ganduje said, “Our next target in the southwest, and you know we are good at hitting our targets, is Osun State and Oyo State. We assure you that we will do all that is possible to bring them into the fold.”
He said the victory of the party in Edo and Ondo was an attestation that APC has the full backing of Nigerians and said the party will remain in power for a long time as long as the party enjoys the support of the people.
He commended INEC and security agencies for ensuring a conducive environment for voters to peacefully exercise their franchise, adding that the Ondo election is transparent, credible, and peaceful, saying the election consolidated Nigeria’s democratic gains.
Ganduje assured Aiyedatiwa of the party’s support and commitment to his administration’s success.
Delivering his acceptance speech shortly after the INEC declaration of the results of the election, Governor Aiyedatiwa, the who succeeded late Rotimi Akeredolu, on December 27, 2023, and hails from Ilaje LGA in the southern senatorial district, appreciated the people for the confidence reposed in him through the overwhelming votes received from all the LGAs.
He assured them of his renewed determination to run an all-inclusive government by initiating programmes and policies that would entrench good governance in the overall interest of the state.
He also extended the hand of fellowship to his main challenger and candidate of the PDP, Agboola Ajayi and other 15 contestants, urging them to support his administration’s quest for the development of the state.
Aiyedatiwa said: “As your Governor, I promise to continue to run an inclusive and participatory government, where every citizen has a voice and an opportunity to contribute to our collective progress. We will continue to prioritize the welfare of our people, foster economic growth, and ensure that our state remains a beacon of hope and prosperity for generations to come.
“Now that the elections are over, it is time to rededicate ourselves to the service of our dear State. I, therefore, want to extend a hand of fellowship to the opposition parties and invite you to collaborate with us in the onerous task of building a better Ondo State for the overall good of our people. Let us put aside our differences and work together to create a brighter future for ourselves, our children, and our communities.”
Dedicating the victory to his late former principal, Governor Akeredolu, Aiyedatiwa commended the efforts of INEC, security agencies and other stakeholders for the peaceful conduct of the election.
He also commended President Bola Tinubu for providing an enabling environment for the peaceful conduct of the election and level playing field for all the 17 political parties.
“I must appreciate the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for providing exemplary leadership and also ensuring a level playing ground in the just concluded election.
“I also thank my party, All Progressives Congress, under the able leadership of the National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulahi Umar Ganduje, the National Campaign Council of Ondo Governorship Election led by the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, We have enjoyed your unwavering support throughout this journey.
“To the State Chairman and Working Committee of our Party, Campaign team, my family and friends, we couldn’t have achieved this huge success without your love, commitment, encouragement, and hard work. I also acknowledge and thank members of the Press for your effective coverage of the voting exercise, “ he said.
PDP, Ajayi will take next action in few days —Party agent
The state Collation Agent of the PDP, Mr Olaniyi Ogungbuji, while reacting to the results of the election, said the PDP candidate, Ajayi will make his next line of action known soon.
Ogungbuji who accused the APC of deploying billions of Naira to induce voters in the just-concluded Ondo State governorship election, said, “This is the end result of the election but I can tell you that APC as a party deployed over N35bn into inducing the electorate. And if this is the future of this nation, I think we are doomed for it.”
He also claimed that the election did not represent the will of the people and said the inducement of voters occurred at some polling units at Idanre LG but his position was discarded at the collation centre.
Ogungbuji gave a hint that the PDP candidate and the party will decide on the next line of action in the coming days, saying “I will report back to him (Ajayi) and the party as well, they will take the next appropriate action in the next few days.”
However, the APC state agent, Ade Adeogun, dismissed the allegation of vote-buying, describing it as flippant.
“You need to understand that throughout this electioneering period, we even complained that Ondo State was over-policed.
“So, if they had any genuine evidence, which they would have reported to the security agencies and those persons involved in votes buying or any inducement would have been arrested.
“Without evidence, you can’t just go around and make flippant excuses. They lost an election. They lost woefully and they’re looking for a straw to hold onto,” he stated.
Adeogun said the opposition should be allowed to ‘weep’ over the defeat, as they have the right to do so.
He said: “It’s an allegation and when you go to court, he who alleges must prove. For you to prove, you must present cogent and verifiable reasons.
“If you have 10 political parties contesting and only one is complaining, you would understand that it’s a pain of loss that they’re still experiencing and we must give them that right to weep.
“If a child has failed an examination, he is allowed to weep. Let’s give them time to absorb the defeat and then probably accept the fact that they lost because they didn’t deserve to win.”
Meanwhile, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr Myson Nejo has faulted the conduct of the election, alleging that it was marred by vote-trading.
According to him, his refusal to buy votes led to his defeat in the election but said he was happy with himself despite losing the election.
He said; “ I thank the good people of Ondo Street for voting for me without giving them any money, and they still voted for me. I want to believe that my vote is a valid vote because there was nothing like vote-buying or any unethical practices on my side. So far, I want to believe I’m a winner in this election.”
Nejo specifically confirmed that the votes were being bought for as much as N20,000, describing the development as worrisome.
“People were buying votes for N20,000 or N15,000, and in my polling unit, it was N10,000 to N15,000. But because I didn’t have money and I told them I wasn’t going to give even a kobo to buy votes, I ended up with only two votes in my unit and about 40 votes in total.
But I don’t care. People were calling me, asking for money in exchange for their votes, but I stood my ground. If they want to vote, they should vote. I wasn’t going to give a kobo to buy votes.”
In his reaction, the lawmaker representing Ilaje/Ese Odo at the House of Representatives, Honourable Donald Ojogo, said the result of the election validates the people’s love and appreciation for the governor’s dedication and hard work.
Ojogo, in a statement, expressed gratitude to the people of Ondo State, particularly of Ilaje/Ese-Odo federal constituency as they turned out en masse to re-elect Aiyedatiwa, ensuring continuity beyond 2025.
He said: “This massive turnout is a reciprocal gesture by the Arogbos for the kindness and support they received from the people of Ilaje in the previous election, which led to Ojogo’s historic win as the first Arogbo to occupy a seat in the House of Representatives in Abuja.”
Ojogo assured the people of the state that more developmental projects and dividends of democracy should be expected in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the Deputy-Inspector General Of Police for election, DIG Sylvester Abiodun Alabi, hailed men of the Nigeria Police for their commitment towards the democratic ideals.
Alabi, who stated this, on Sunday, during a press conference in Akure, commended the officers for exhibiting a high sense of professionalism before, during and after the election in the state
The police boss said: “I would like to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for your presence here today and for your unwavering commitment to our democratic ideals.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our nation’s democratic journey, as we laud the successful conclusion of the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election.
“I am proud to report that the electoral activities, from the initial stages of preparations to the final announcement of results, were secured with the highest level of integrity and professionalism by the police and other security agencies.
“The meticulous efforts of our officers, in collaboration with other election security agencies and stakeholders, ensured that the process was peaceful, free, and credible.
“I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to all those who played crucial roles, at one stage or the other, in this electoral process. The dedication and professionalism exhibited by election officials and poll.”
However, an election monitoring group, Yiaga Africa has condemned the widespread financial inducement which characterised the election.
Giving its process and results statement on the election, the group said the cases of vote-buying witnessed during the election are a threat to our nation’s democracy.
Addressing newsmen in Akure, the state capital on Sunday, the chairman of the Yiaga’s 2024 Ondo election mission, Ezenwa Nwagwu called on the political parties to refrain from the, “ unacceptable culture of impunity and this ugly trend of buying votes during elections.”
He appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take deliberate and concerted efforts at protecting the secrecy of the ballot.
Yiaga Africa commended the commission for its considerable improvements in early deployment and arrival of ad hoc staff to the majority of polling units across the state.
Nwagwu described as worrisome the turnout of voters in Saturday’s election, saying that the 24.8 percent total votes cast from the over two million registered voters was not encouraging.
He said, “Election offenders arrested during the Ondo election should be handed over to the police for due prosecution. In addition, security agencies should be more proactive in arresting and prosecuting perpetrators of voter inducement and vote buying.
“Political parties and candidates should encourage issue-based participation in elections and invest in building parties that uphold democratic principles and promote electoral integrity.”
Yiaga Africa urged the governor and members of the APC to be magnanimous in victory while encouraging other political parties and their candidates to display political maturity and uphold peace.
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