Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been declared the winner of the Ondo State governorship election in a landslide victory, solidifying his position as the Sunshine State’s leader for the next four years.
The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, who also serves as the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, made the announcement at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation center in Akure on Sunday.
Aiyedatiwa polled 366,781 votes, outpacing his closest rival, Ajayi Agboola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who managed 117,845 votes.
The APC candidate swept all 18 local government areas, securing 248,000 votes more than Agboola.
“At exactly 2:30 pm, I hereby declare Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of the APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law, the winner of the Ondo State governorship election and returned elected,” Prof. Akinwumi announced.
The electoral process commenced early on election day, with INEC officials arriving promptly at polling units. The exercise was largely peaceful, with minimal reports of violence.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, after casting his vote, expressed confidence in his government’s achievements over the past 10 months, which he believed resonated with voters.
“I traversed all 18 local government areas and visited communities across the state. I am confident in the work we have done,” he said.
However, Agboola accused INEC of irregularities, including vote-buying and technical issues with the BVAS system.
“The process is compromised. People are complaining about vote buying, and the BVAS is not working. This election is a sham,” Agboola alleged.
Election observers corroborated some of these claims, noting widespread vote-buying.
The Situation Room, a coalition of civil society organizations monitoring the election, decried the open trading of votes.
“Despite the high presence of security personnel, vote trading went on unchecked,” the group reported.
Aiyedatiwa’s victory extends his tenure, which began on December 27, 2023, following the death of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
Aiyedatiwa, then the deputy governor, assumed office after Akeredolu, who had been battling illness, transmitted power to him before passing away the same day.
Riding on the achievements of his brief administration, Aiyedatiwa campaigned on promises of economic growth and improved worker welfare.
His administration’s adoption of a N73,000 minimum wage, higher than the federal government’s benchmark, was a key highlight of his campaign.
With this resounding win, Aiyedatiwa has cemented his hold on power, defeating 17 other candidates to secure a second term.
Analysts believe his ability to deliver on campaign promises, particularly in enhancing the state’s economy and worker welfare, will shape his legacy.
The election, though largely peaceful, has left lingering questions about the integrity of the process.
For now, however, the focus shifts to Aiyedatiwa’s next steps as he leads the oil-rich state into a new era.
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