Lucky Aiyedatiwa, governor of Ondo state, has clinched the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial ticket for the November 16 election.
Usman Ododo, Kogi state governor and chairman of the election organising committee, declared Aiyedatiwa as the winner of the party’s primary around 12:43am on Monday, in Akure the state capital.
The announcement came hours after Ododo ordered a rerun election in all the 13 Wards of Okitipupa Local Government with total validated registered members of 9,515 because of validated reports that the exercise did not hold in the Local government due to late arrival of materials and personnel as a result of logistics challenges.
Specifically, Ododo said the candidate polled 48, 569 votes to defeat 15 other aspirants in the contest.
The result shows that Aiyedatiwa won in 16 out of the 18 council areas in the state while Oke won in only Ilaje local government but came third after polling a total of 14,915 votes in the election.
However, a former member of the House of Representatives, Mayowa Akinfolarin came second with a total of 15,343 votes, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim polled 9,456 while the former Commissioner for Finance Wale Akinterinwa polled 1,952 votes.
Ododo, while charging the aspirants to set aside their differences and unite behind the candidate, appreciated all the aspirants who participated in the election, saying “your dedication to the service of Ondo State and commitment to serving the people under the platform of our great party are truly commendable.
“We are grateful for your courage and determination to be part of this important process. Let us remember that the real work lies ahead of all of us as members of this great party.
“We must follow the words of our leader and president, Bola Tinubu who has maintained that a political contest is a quest to serve to brothers and sisters from the same family but leaving in different rooms and must therefore remain in the same house after the election after the election has been won and lost.
“So, we are all from the same family and as such, we have no need to abandon the party irrespective of the outcome of the election. We must set aside our differences and unite behind our candidate”, he said.
Meanwhile, the announcement came amidst controversy and protests by some aspirants who called for the cancellation of the exercise over alleged irregularities and the replacement of Usman Ododo as the chairman of the committee.
Aiyedatiwa alongside 15 others contested the governorship election through a direct primary election.
They include; former Commissioner for Finance, Wale Akinterinwa; Olusola Oke (SAN); former member of the House of Representatives, Mayowa Akinfolarin; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim; former National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Isaacs Kekemeke and former Commissioner who represented the State on the governing board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Gbenga Edema.
Others are Gen. Ohunyeye Olamide Felix, a current member of the House of Representatives, Jimi Odimayo, Olusoji Adewale Ehinlanwo, Morayo Lebi, Diran Iyantan, Prof. Francis Faduyile and Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele while the two female aspirants among them are Funmilayo Adekojo, and Mrs. Funke Omogoroye Judith.
On December 27, 2023, Lucky Aiyedatiwa was sworn-in as governor of Ondo state following the death of his principal and former governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) who died in Germany after a protracted illness.
SUMMARY OF THE FINAL RESULTS RESULTS OF ONDO STATE APC GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY AS DECLARED
Total Registered voters 171922
Total Accredited voters 95178
Total Valid votes 95178
Invalid Nill
Lucky Aiyedatiwa 48,569
Wale Akinterinwa 1,952
Olusola Oke (SAN) 14,915
Mayowa Akinfolarin 15,343
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim 9,456
Isaacs Kekemeke 1,045
Gbenga Edema 395
Ohunyeye Olamide Felix 424
Jimi Odimayo 490
Olusoji Adewale Ehinlanwo 492
Morayo Lebi 290
Diran Iyantan 348
Prof. Francis Faduyile 353
Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele 462
Funmilayo Adekojo 529
Mrs. Funke Omogoroye Judith 115
RESULTS FROM EACH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
ILEOLUJI-OKEIGBO LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 225
Akinterinwa 494
Oke 1, 004
Jimoh Ibrahim 282
IDANRE LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 579
Akinterinwa 119
Oke 225
Jimoh Ibrahim 120
ESE-ODO LG
Aiyedatiwa 298
Akinterinwa 0
Oke 147
Jimoh Ibrahim 174
ILEOLUJI-OKEIGBO LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 225
Akinterinwa 494
Oke 1, 004
Jimoh Ibrahim 282
ONDO WEST LG
Aiyedatiwa 10, 610
Akinterinwa 29
Oke 1, 736
Jimoh Ibrahim 2, 668
ILAJE LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 485
Akinterinwa 26
Oke 2, 511
Jimoh Ibrahim 589
AKOKO NORTH EAST LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 664
Akinterinwa 135
Oke 138
Jimoh Ibrahim 505
AKOKO NORTH WEST LG
Aiyedatiwa 5, 430
Akinterinwa 198
Oke 2, 721
Jimoh Ibrahim 728
AKOKO SOUTH EAST LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 533
Akinterinwa 43
Oke 391
Jimoh Ibrahim 67
AKOKO SOUTH WEST LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 747
Akinterinwa 272
Oke 415
Jimoh Ibrahim 466
IRELE LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 203
Akinterinwa 15
Oke 93
Jimoh Ibrahim 139
OSE LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 091
Akinterinwa 39
Oke 800
Jimoh Ibrahim 267
ODIGBO LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 631
Akinterinwa 114
Oke 138
Jimoh Ibrahim 845
AKURE NORTH LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 860
Akinterinwa 177
Oke 1, 239
Jimoh Ibrahim 1, 606
AKURE SOUTH LG
Aiyedatiwa 3, 265
Akinterinwa 86
Oke 328
Jimoh Ibrahim 294
ONDO EAST LG
Aiyedatiwa 4, 803
Akinterinwa 141
Oke 1, 171
Jimoh Ibrahim 406
OKITIPUPA LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 622
Akinterinwa 27
Oke 1, 571
Jimoh Ibrahim 109
NO RESULT FOR IFEDORE LGA.
The returning officer for Ifedore council area, Oliver Okpara informed the electoral committee that there was no election in the LG due to alleged shooting.