Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s re-election in Ondo State has stirred political waters, with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rejecting the results and accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of electoral fraud.
Aiyedatiwa, who polled 366,781 votes against PDP candidate Agboola Ajayi’s 117,845, was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). INEC insisted the election was free and fair, but the PDP described it as marred by vote-buying and intimidation, promising a review of the results and further actions to safeguard democracy.
INEC defended its conduct, citing impressive logistics and the effective deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). According to INEC, 97% of polling units opened on time, and 92% of results were uploaded by 7 pm on election day.
INEC’s Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, dismissed PDP’s earlier allegations of bias, stating the commission adhered strictly to procedures. However, opposition parties, including Labour Party and African Democratic Congress, decried the prevalence of vote-buying, alleging it undermined the credibility of the process.
In response to PDP’s allegations, APC’s National Publicity Director, Bala Ibrahim, dismissed them as baseless, accusing the PDP of deflecting attention from its failures. Labour Party’s candidate Ayodele Olorunfemi also lamented his party’s internal challenges and blamed financial inducements by other parties for his poor performance.
Similarly, the African Democratic Congress and other smaller parties expressed frustration over the monetized nature of the polls but pledged to uphold their integrity by rejecting unethical practices.
Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies reported isolated incidents during the election. The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Sylvester Alabi, confirmed three arrests related to attempted ballot box snatching but denied any evidence of vote-buying under police supervision. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has also launched investigations into allegations of vote-buying and pledged to prosecute offenders once identified.
President Bola Tinubu congratulated Governor Aiyedatiwa on his victory and commended the peaceful conduct of the election. He praised INEC’s efficiency and urged aggrieved candidates to seek redress through judicial channels. Tinubu’s message emphasized the need for political actors to prioritize unity and civility as Ondo State embarks on another term under Governor Aiyedatiwa’s leadership.