Tinubu Urges Aggrieved Candidates In Ondo Election To Seek Legal Redress
President Bola Tinubu has called on candidates unhappy with the outcome of the Ondo State governorship election to pursue their grievances through the courts. This statement came after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the election winner.
Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s special adviser on information and strategy, released a statement on Sunday, November 17, highlighting the competitiveness of the election, which featured candidates from 17 political parties. The President urged all stakeholders to respect the democratic process and utilize the judicial system for resolving disputes.
Governor Aiyedatiwa secured victory by winning all 18 local government areas, polling 366,781 votes to defeat his main rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 117,845 votes. The final result was announced by the state resident electoral commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola, at the INEC Collation Centre in Akure.
President Tinubu praised the peaceful conduct of the election and attributed its success to the maturity of both the political actors and the electorate. He also commended INEC for its effective organization, including the timely upload of over 98% of the results on the election day, which demonstrated the commission’s ability to conduct credible elections.
Tinubu further applauded the professionalism of security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force, National Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Youth Service Corps, and the military, for ensuring a secure voting process.
The President expressed that the Ondo election served as a testament to INEC’s capabilities, showing that the commission met public expectations through thorough preparation and efficient handling of the electoral process.
