INEC to Officially Present Certificates of Return to Ondo Governor-elect Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Wednesday
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will officially present certificates of return to Ondo State Governor-elect Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his deputy on Wednesday.
The presentation will take place at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja, according to the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi.
Aiyedatiwa, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), emerged victorious in Saturday’s governorship election with 366,781 votes, defeating the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Agboola Ajayi, who garnered 117,845 votes.
However, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has rejected the election results, calling for their cancellation. Speaking in Akure, the SDP Chairman in Ondo State, Gbenga Akinbuli, alleged harassment of party agents, voter intimidation, and widespread vote-buying during the election. He described the process as a “shame on democracy” and claimed that many voters were unable to cast their ballots due to fear.
“Our agents were intimidated out of polling units, and voters were scared for their lives. How can over two million registered voters result in less than 600,000 participating? It’s a disgrace,” Akinbuli said. He added that the party’s legal team was already working on challenging the election outcome.
Similarly, the SDP candidate, Bamidele Akingboye, who polled 438 votes, expressed disappointment in the process, citing irregularities and what he described as intimidation by members of the APC.
Meanwhile, the APC has dismissed the allegations as baseless. The party’s Director of Media and Publicity in Ondo State, Steve Otaloro, called the claims “ridiculous and misleading,” stating that the election had been widely praised by both local and international observers.
“This election has been adjudged as the most credible in the state’s history. Organizations like YIAGA Africa commended INEC for its improvements. The people have spoken by overwhelmingly re-electing Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa,” Otaloro said. He urged aggrieved parties to take their grievances to the election tribunal rather than discrediting the process.
The governorship election, held across Ondo’s 18 local government areas, has sparked mixed reactions, with INEC’s certification of the results scheduled to further solidify Aiyedatiwa’s second term.
