Ondo Governship: PDP Candidate Rejects Results, Accuses APC and INEC of Criminality, Threatens Legal Action

The Ondo State governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Agboola Ajayi, has refused to accept the results of the recently concluded election, pointing accusing fingers at the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as engaging in “criminality” in the conduct of the election.

The results, announced on Sunday by the Returning Officer, Olayemi Akinwumi, Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja, handed the APC candidate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, victory with 366,781 votes more than triple the 117,845 garnered by Ajayi, a former Deputy Governor of the state.

With Aiyedatiwa’s victory, APC is now assured of extending its stay in the state’s Government House in Alagbaka, Akure.

Ajayi, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Ayo Fadaka, expressed dissatisfaction with the process, citing rampant electoral fraud. Ajayi accused the APC and INEC of colluding in what he described as “unabated criminality” to suppress the will of the people.

“Since the conclusion of voting on Saturday 16th November, we have kept mute and put in process an investigation of the contents of criminality prosecuted by both APC and the INEC… In view of the foregoing, we have uncovered lots of actions undertaken to compromise the electoral desires of the people and sadly conclude that democracy can not thrive in an environment where unabated criminality is perpetually perpetrated in the prosecution of an election by the agency(INEC) saddled with the onerous and sacred responsibility to protect our franchise and deliver its mandate at the end of every election, ” he stated.

Ajayi also expressed his party’s gratitude to the people of Ondo State, reiterating that legal actions would be taken despite the challenges accompanying the election.

Reports of the election process were riddled with accused vote buying and other electoral malpractices. The Zenith Labour Party’s Abbas Mimiko and PDP Deputy Governorship candidate Festus Akingbaso accused APC of offering cash to influence voters.

There were reports of vote buying and disruptions perpetrated by APC thugs in Idanre. The arrest of a male suspect in Akure, caught with bags of money meant for vote inducement, seemed to confirm such allegations.

While accusations are rife, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu congratulated Aiyedatiwa and advised anyone aggrieved to seek judicial redress.

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