- Agboola Ajayi, PDP's governorship candidate, secures a big win in his polling unit, defeating APC's Ayedatiwa by a landslide—194 votes to 3
- Despite the heavy security presence, Ajayi edges out Ayedatiwa in Kiribo, Ese Odo, with a commanding lead. The race for Ondo State intensifies.
- Ajayi claims “gross irregularities” in the election, adding a layer of controversy to the ongoing gubernatorial race.
The governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Agboola Ajayi, has emerged victorious in his polling unit in the ongoing Ondo State gubernatorial election.
Ajayi, who cast his vote at Apoi Ward II, Unit 004 in Kiribo, Ese Odo Local Government Area, polled 194 votes to defeat his main rival, Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who managed to secure only 3 votes.
Ajayi, a former deputy governor of the state, arrived at the polling station with his wife at approximately 10:36 am.
Despite the heavy presence of security forces, including personnel from the Nigerian Police and the Civil Defence Corps, the couple was swiftly accredited and given priority to vote before other voters in line.
The accreditation process was completed by 10:45 am, and after casting their votes, Ajayi and his wife briefly engaged with other voters before leaving the polling unit in a black Jeep.
However, following the voting, Ajayi expressed his dissatisfaction with the conduct of the election.
Speaking to reporters, he alleged that there had been “gross irregularities” in the ongoing polls, though he did not provide specific details or evidence to back up his claims at the time.
The PDP candidate’s win in his own polling unit marks a significant early victory, but it remains to be seen how the rest of the election will unfold in the coming hours as results continue to be tallied across the state.
#OndoDecides 2024: Meet the state’s first military and civilian governors
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Ondo State had been governed by 19 leaders, ranging from military to democratically elected officials, since its establishment in 1976
As the gubernatorial election approaches, TheRadar reviewed the first leaders of Nigeria’s Sunshine state, Ondo.
