After announcing results from 13 Local Government Areas in the Ondo State 2024 governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has gone on recess with incumbent governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leading in all the 13 local governments declared so far. His main rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is coming a distant second.

The collation officer, Prof Olayemi Akinwunmi, who announced the recess in the wee hours of today, Sunday, November 17, 2024, said it is to allow for the arrival of results from the remaining local governments.

“We have five more local governments but we are going to take our recess now until 5am to receive some receive from Akure North, Okitipupa and Odigbo, then Ilaje and Ese Odo. We resume 5am for these local governments,” Prof Akinwunmi said.

The 13 Local Governments Areas declared so far are Ifedore, Ondo East, Ileoluji Oke-Igbo, Idanre, Irele, Akoko South West, Owo, Ondo West, Akoko South East, Akoko North West, Ose, Akoko North East and Akure South.

The 5 remaining local governments are Ilaje, Odigbo, Okitipupa, Akure North and Ese Odo.

Out of the 13 local governments announced so far, it was only in one that a contending issue came up. The LG is Idanre where the agent of the PDP alleged issues of vote buying, ballot box snatching and no election in some areas. He asked the returning officer to reject results from Idanre.

INEC National Commissioner, Prof Kunle Ajayi, who spoke to Channels Television in Akure, the Ondo State capital before the collation commenced, had assured Ondo people that the result will be declared not later than 6am.

“I can assure you that until we declare the winner, we won’t leave here. We will wait until the last local government before we leave.

“I don’t have any fear that even by 6am, maybe everything would have been over,” the National Commissioner added. (Adapted from a Channels TV report)