The incumbent governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has clinched victory in the APC governorship primary election, securing the party’s candidacy for the upcoming governorship election in the state.
Aiyedatiwa garnered a total of 48,569 votes during the exercise, leaving his closest rival, Mayowa Akinfolarin, with 15,343 votes. Olusola Oke trailed with 14,865 votes, securing third place.
The declaration of Aiyedatiwa as the winner was made by the Chairman of the Governorship Primary Election Committee and Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, in the early hours of Monday.
Ododo commended the smooth conduct of the electoral process, noting minimal glitches during the proceedings.
“I can confirm that the direct mode of primary election adopted in the 2024 Ondo State governorship primaries was held in all 203 electoral wards across the 18 LGAs in Ondo State,” said Ododo while announcing the results.
Aiyedatiwa’s victory was dominant across 16 of the 18 LGAs, with the exception of Ilaje LGA where Olusola Oke won.
However, the primary was not without controversy and protests. Several contestants raised allegations of non-conduct of elections in any location.
Folakemi Omogoroye, a female aspirant, criticized and described the process as a “complete rape on democracy” and called for its outright cancellation. She highlighted the absence of election officials and voting materials at voting centers, preventing her supporters from exercising their voting rights.
“I am not going to accept it, and now, I am calling for cancellation, and if this is not done, maybe we’ll meet in court,” warned Omogoroye, signaling potential legal action if demands for a fresh and transparent election were not met.
The discontent extended to party members, as aggrieved individuals took to the streets of Akure to demand the annulment of the exercise and the removal of Ododo as the committee’s chair. Protesters alleged irregularities in the conduct of the ward primaries across the state and emphasized the importance of upholding transparency and fairness to avoid potential crisis within the party.
They cautioned against imposing an unpopular candidate, citing potential repercussions on the party’s prospects in the upcoming governorship election in November
