Nigeria, Ondo2024: INEC Declares Aiyedatiwa Winner Amid Allegations of Electoral Fraud

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria  

In a dramatic conclusion to the Ondo State gubernatorial election, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Aiyedatiwa, who swept all 18 local government areas, secured 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 117,845 votes.

The State Returning Officer, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, announced, “That Ayedatiwa Lucky Orimisan of APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby returned elected.”

However, the victory has ignited a storm of controversy as opposition parties, civil society organisations, and election observers allege widespread irregularities.

The PDP candidate, Agboola Ajayi, rejected the results, describing the election as “a sham riddled with voter suppression, ballot snatching, and manipulated figures.” Ajayi questioned how remote areas with logistical challenges recorded near-perfect voter turnout while urban centres experienced delays and missing results. He vowed to challenge the outcome in court.

International observer groups, including the European Union Mission, have also raised concerns about reports of violence, intimidation, and a lack of transparency at key collation centres. Protests erupted in Akure and other towns, with opposition supporters calling for an annulment of the results.

INEC has dismissed the allegations, insisting the election was conducted in accordance with the law and maintaining that technical issues in some areas did not affect the integrity of the process.

Governor Aiyedatiwa, in his victory speech, described his re-election as “a mandate from the people” and called on his opponents to join him in building a prosperous Ondo State.