Details emerged on Monday on how incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State secured the majority votes in Saturday’s primary to emerge as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the November 16 governorship poll.

The governor was declared the candidate of the poll on Sunday night after due collation of the results of the direct primary held across the local government areas in the state.

According to the figures of the election, Aiyedatiwa got huge votes in Owo, Idanre, Ese Odo, Ilee Oluji-Oke Igbo, Ondo West, Ilaje, Akoko North East, Akoko North West, Akoko South West and Akoko South East Local Government areas.

The rest included: Ose, Irele, Akure North, Akure South, Ondo East and Okitipupa LGAs

The other contestants for the APC ticket included: Honourable Mayowa Akinfolarin, Chief Olusola Oke, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Mr Wale Akinterinwa, Hon. Isaac Kekemeke, Hon. Gbenga Edema, Mr Ohunyeye Olamide Felix, Honourable Olujimi Odimayo, Mr Olusoji Ehinlanwo, Morayo Lebi, Prince Diran Iyantan, Professor Francis Faduyile, Mr Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Mrs. Funmilayo Waheed Adekojo and Mrs Funke Omogoroye.

The statistics of the primary showed that out of a total 117, 922 prospective voters, the number of those that were accredited was 95,178; total vote cast 95,178; valid votes were 95,178 and there was no invalid vote.

The final results of the election were announced by the Kogi State governor and chairman of the APC Ondo APC Governorship Election Committee, Usman Ododo.

Ododo said Aiyedatiwa polled 48,569 votes to defeat 15 other aspirants from 17 of the 18 local government areas, as election did not hold in Ifedore LGA due to a security breach.

The Returning Officer for Ifedore LGA, Oliver Okpala, explained that there was shooting in the area, while residents were scared to come out.

According to him, all the wards visited by his team were empty and the election could not take place while the incident was reported at the police station.

However, the primary, which of the stakeholders acknowledged recorded a large turnout of party faithful, was, rescheduled in Okitipupa for Sunday.

The final results of the election showed that Mayowa Akinfolarin came second, polling 15,343 votes.

Speaking before the party’s electoral officers released the results from the 18 council areas, Ododo urged the aspirants to continue to work together for the development of the party and to win the state.

He said: “Let’s remember that the real election lies with all of us as members of this great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We must always reflect on the words of our father and leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has maintained that a political contest is a quest to serve by brothers and sisters from the same family but living in the same room and must therefore live in the same house after the election has been won and lost.

“In our own room today, we are all in the same room as a family, and as such, we have no need to abandon the party, irrespective of today’s outcome. We must set aside our differences and unite behind our candidate.

“In our unity, we shall continue to find strength, and our victory lies in our solidarity as party men and women.”

The chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin, commended the election committee for the success of the exercise, with an assurance that the APC would do all within its reach to remain the party to beat in any election.

He called on all the aspirants to come together to make the APC great again, saying there is a greater strength in the spirit of togetherness.

In his acceptance speech, Aiyedatiwa, after the declaration and affirmation as the candidate of the APC by the committee, said the time to win together as a party had come after the heavy politics within the party to pick a flag bearer for the party.

According to him, what matters most at this particular period is the greatness of the party, appealing to all the aspirants and other stakeholders to join hands with him to build a better future.

He commended all the aspirants, in the primary saying their participation has created so much awareness within and outside our party, which, according to him, have enriched our democracy and strengthened our party in the state.

Aiyedatiwa said: “The internally orchestrated heavy politics within our party, APC, in search of our flag-bearer in the forthcoming gubernatorial election has come to a conclusion today with the emergence of a candidate as declared by the Governorship Primary Election Committee under the chairmanship of His Excellency, Governor Usman Ododo, the Governor of Kogi State.

“Let me at this time acknowledge and thank all the aspirants who threw their hats into the ring in the family contest to be the flag-bearer: Honourable Mayowa Akinfolarin, Chief Olusola Oke, Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, Hon. Isaac D. Kekemeke, Hon. Gbenga Edema, Mr. Ohunyeye Olamide Felix, Honourable Olujimi Odimayo, Mr. Olusoji Ehinlanwo, Morayo Lebi Esq, Prince Diran Iyantan, Professor Francis Faduyile, Mr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Mrs. Funmilayo Waheed Adekojo and Mrs. Funke Omogoroye.

“Your participation has created so much awareness within and outside our party. You mobilized our members and removed apathy. You have also brought in numerous new members into the party”

He said: “Democracy sometimes, after a contest like this, comes with discordant tunes. But this is not the time to hold grudges against anyone but for all of us to come together to work for the success of our great party so as to remain in power.

“We will all gain in this party, though at different times, if we keep faith. I salute your courage and keen interest to lead the State towards development. It is your right and you are qualified and worthy members of our party.

“I want to specially thank the President and Leader of our party, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his leadership. I thank the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, the National Chairman of our party, Alhaji Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, the Progressive Governors, National and State Working Committees of our party and all stakeholders in the state for their forthrightness in the processes leading to my emergence as the flag-bearer for our party in the Ondo 2024 governorship election.

“I thank all our traditional rulers, institutional heads, civil servants and all the stakeholders who have chosen me as their preferred candidate. I also thank all the party leaders, including the APC Aborigines, members of the campaign team and all others who toured the entire 18 local government areas together with me to engage with our party members. I do not take for granted the love shown to me by our members across the state.”

Final result of votes from each Local Government Area

OWO

Jimoh 192

Adekojo 9

Ohunyeye 41

Lucky Aiyedatiwa 2123

Akinfolarin 315

Akinterinwa 37

Olusola Oke 225

Idanre

Jimoh 120

Aiyedatiwa 1579

Akinfolarin 1157

Akinterinwa 119

Oke 225

Odimayo 18

ESE ODO

Kekemeke 72

Ibrahim 174

Aiyedatiwa 298

Oke 147

Oyedele 8

ILE OLUJI/OKE IGBO

Kekemeke 60

Ibrahim 282

Ohunyeye 14

Aiyedatiwa 1225

Akinterinwa 494

Oke 1004

Odimayo 19

Ondo West

Ehinlanwo 150

Ibrahim 2268

Aiyedatiwa 10610

Akinfolarin 2481

Akinterinwa 29

Oke 1736

Odimayo 5

ILAJE

Kekemeke 24

Ehinlanwo 246

Edema 230

Ibrahim 589

Adekojo 11

Ohunyeye 07

Aiyedatiwa 2485

Akinfolarin 962

Akinterinwa 26

Oke 2511

Morayo 13

Iyantan 11

Faduyile 17

Oyedele 52

Odimayo 29

IFEDORE

No election as a result of violence.

Akoko North East

Ibrahim 505

Aiyedatiwa 1664

Akinfolarin 609

Akinterinwa 135

Oke 138

Faduyile 50

Akoko North West

Kekemeke 513

Edema 4

Ibrahim 728

Adekojo 486

Ohunyeye 55

Aiyedatiwa 5430

Akinfolarin 849

Akinterinwa 198

Oke 2721

Iyantan 99

Faduyile 25

Odimayo 02

AKOKO SOUTH WEST

Ehinlanwo 71

Ibrahim 67

Ohunyeye 10

Aiyedatiwa 2533

Akinfolarin 678

Akinterinwa 43

Oke 391

Omogoroye 34

Odimayo 5

Akoko South East

Kekemeke 66

Ehinlanwo 10

Edema 6

Jimoh 466

OHUNYEYE

Aiyedatiwa 2747

Oke 419

OSE

Kekemeke 169

Edema 1

Ibrahim 267

Adekojo 02

Ohunyeye 07

Aiyedatiwa 1491

Akinfolarin 210

Akinterinwa 39

Oke 800

Oyedele 15

Odimayo 16

IRELE

Kekemeke 12

Ibrahim 139

Adekojo 7

Ohunyeye 10

Aiyedatiwa 1203

Akinfolarin 391

Akinterinwa 15

Oke 93

Morayo 157

Faduyile 10

Odimayo 50

ODIGBO

Kekemeke 60

Ibrahim 845

Ohunyeye 38

Aiyedatiwa 2631

Akinfolarin 1709

Akinterinwa 114

Oke 146

Faduyile 75

Oyedele 8

Odimayo 8

AKURE NORTH

Ibrahim 1606

Edema 150

Aiyedatiwa 2860

Akinfolarin 894

Ohunyeye 20

Akinterinwa 177

Oke 1239

Faduyile 28

Oyedele 77

Odimayo 218

AKURE SOUTH

Kekemeke 66

Ehinlanwo 11

Edema 4

Ibrahim 294

Adekojo 7

Ohunyeye 75

Aiyedatiwa 3265

Akinfolarin 683

Akinterinwa 86

Oke 328

Morayo 91

Iyantan 27

Faduyile 5

Omogoroye 27

Oyedele 8

Odimayo 52

ONDO EAST

Oke 1171

Aiyedatiwa 4803

Akinterinwa 141

Jimoh 406

OKITIPUPA

Ibrahim 109

Ohunyeye 96

Aiyedatiwa 1622

Akinfolarin 116

Akinterinwa 27

Oke 1571

Morayo 29

Iyantan 58

Faduyile 32

Omogoroye 34

Oyedele 59

Odimayo 33

Votes according to aspirants

Jimi Odimayo 490

Omogoroye Judith 115

Lucky Aiyedatiwa 48,569

Isaacs Kekemeke 1045

Soji Ehinlanwo 492

Gbenga Edema 395

Ibrahim jimoh 9456

Waheed Adekojo 529

Mayowa Akinfolarin 15,343

Wale Akinterinwa 1,952

Oke Olusola 14,915

Felix Ohunyeye 424

Levi Morayo 290

Diran Iyantan 348

Dayo Faduyile 353

Ife Oyedele 462

(Sourced from Nigerian Tribune)

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