Aiyedatiwa Wins Ondo Governorship Race with Over 366,000 Votes
Party chairman Ganduje reveals expansion plans while Tinubu urges defeated candidates to seek legal redress
Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has emerged victorious in Saturday’s Ondo State governorship election, securing a commanding win that transforms his role from acting governor to a full four-year mandate.
According to results announced by INEC Returning Officer Prof. Olayemi Akinwunmi at 2:29 PM Sunday, Aiyedatiwa garnered 366,781 votes, far outpacing his nearest challenger, Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Ajayi Agboola, who received 117,845 votes. Dr. Abbas Mimiko of the ZLP placed third with 2,692 votes.
The APC dominated across the state’s local governments, with particularly strong showings in:
– Akoko South West: 29,700 votes
– Akure South: 32,969 votes
– Owo: 31,914 votes
Notably, Aiyedatiwa even prevailed in Agboola’s home territory of Ese-Odo, securing 14,511 votes against PDP’s 7,814.
Following the victory, APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje revealed the party’s ambitious plans to expand its control in the Southwest, specifically targeting Oyo and Osun states. “Our next target in the South West Geopolitical zone is Osun and Oyo states. You know we are good at hitting the target,” Ganduje stated, highlighting the party’s strategy for regional dominance ahead of 2027.
However, the victory was met with controversy as PDP’s Agboola alleged electoral misconduct, calling for INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s resignation. He cited issues with the BVAS system and accused both INEC and security agencies of compromising the election’s integrity.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu, while congratulating Aiyedatiwa, praised INEC’s performance, noting their efficient uploading of over 98% of results on election day. He commended the peaceful conduct of the election and advised dissatisfied candidates to pursue their grievances through legal channels.
Aiyedatiwa, who became acting governor following Governor Akeredolu’s death in December 2023, will now serve a full term after the current tenure ends in February 2025.
Total election statistics:
– Valid votes: 497,077
– Rejected votes: 11,886
– Total votes cast: 508,963
