Intrigues as Aiyedatiwa Wins Re-election as Ondo Gov

Fidelis David examines the intrigues of last Saturday’s governorship poll in Ondo State and the factors that led to the re-election of the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Since it’s creation in 1976, Ondo State has succeeded in projecting itself into national politics, the outcome of the governorship election in Ondo State held at the weekend comes to mind in this regard.

No doubt, the election has come and gone, but not without the usual political intrigues and drama which ended with the declaration of the incumbent governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the winner.

The election was largely peaceful and devoid of violence in most parts of the state.

Specifically, 18 political parties, including the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, were on the ballot but 17 parties are field candidates in the poll.

They include the incumbent governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC); former deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Olugbenga Edema of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); ZLP’s Dr Abbas Mimiko, younger brother of the former governor of the state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko and Otitoloju Akinmurele of Young Progressives Party, among others.

However, as earlier predicted by THISDAY, the contest was a two-horse race between Aiyedatiwa and Agboola.

At the end of the gubernatorial poll, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Aiyedatiwa as the winner of the election.

Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Prof Olayemi Akinwunmi, and the Returning Officer of the exercise declared that Aiyedatiwa polled a total of 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ajayi Agboola of PDP who scored a total votes of 117,845 while ZLP’s Dr Abbas Mimiko, came a distance third with  2692  votes.

He said the total valid votes stood at 497077, rejected votes, 11886 while total votes cast was 508,963.

“That Lucky Aiyedatiwa of APC having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,”

The results however showed that Ajayi lost his local government (Ese-Odo) and other 17 council areas of the state to the APC can, Aiyedatiwa.

The result was also historical because in the history of the state no governor or candidate has ever won in all the18 local government areas.

An Inclusive, Participatory Govt

In his acceptance speech, Aiyedatiwa promised to continually run an inclusive and participatory government, where every citizen has a voice and an opportunity to contribute to the state’s collective progress.

This is just as Aiyedatiwa called on his opponent, Agboola Ajayi and other candidates to collaborate with him in the onerous task of building a better Ondo State for the overall good of the people.

The governor said he will continue to prioritize the welfare of the people, foster economic growth, and ensure that the state remains a beacon of hope and prosperity for generations to come.

His words: “My fellow citizens of Ondo State,  I stand before you this day, on the threshold of history,  to accept the results of the 2024 gubernatorial elections held in our Sunshine State. I must say that I feel greatly humbled and honoured by this renewed mandate you have given me to continue in office as your Governor. I am overwhelmed with gratitude and I pledge to work tirelessly to justify the trust you have reposed in me.”

Aiyedatiwa commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting a free, fair, and credible election and the security agencies across board for being professional in their assignment and maintaining peace throughout the exercise.

INEC is Compromised

However, PDP’s governorship candidate, Ajayi accused INEC and the security agencies of compromising the election and urged the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to resign. 

Ajayi who voted at Unit 4, Ward 2 Idumado in Kiribo, Ese-Odo LGA expressed displeasure at the conduct of the election

The PDP governorship candidate said it took more than 10 minutes for the INEC BVAS to capture him, saying, “the system is not perfect and there are lots of complainants here and there. If INEC cannot successfully organise an election in just one state, then you must know that we are running into anarchy.

“I think it is deliberate on the part of INEC, on the part of the Resident Electoral Commission (REC). And we have said several times that we don’t trust Oluwatoyin Babalola (REC). That this woman cannot be fair. The system is compromised and we have a series of calls made by everybody. People are complaining about vote buying, the BVAS problem. It is a very shameful exercise,” he said.

“And I think people should call on the INEC chairman to resign if he cannot do the job. He should just resign. It is totally compromised. This is sad and Nigerians are not happy. Here, it is peaceful to some extent”.

Apprehension

Undoubtedly, before the election, there was tension and apprehension in the state, prompting a massive deployment of security personnel. A total of 34,657 police personnel were drawn to the polling units, wards/LGA collation centers as well as other strategic locations in the state.

A total of 8,500 personnel from the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency was also deployed to augment the Police strength. This brings the total number of security personnel deployed for the election to 43,157.

Heavy Presence of Military Men

Another intrigue in the Ondo Governorship poll is that it was  highly militarized. Specifically, a tour from Akure through Owo, to Ikare and Oke-Agbe in Akoko North West Local Government Area of the state, over 30 military checkpoints were observed.

Particularly at ‘Semu-semu’ roundabout in Ikare-Akoko, Akoko North East council area, soldiers who mounted the road prevented journalists and INEC officials from accessing the road for 30 minutes. It however took the intervention of the higher authority before the barricade on the road was removed.

Vote Buying

Like in other elections, THISDAY also observed that financial wherewithal, vote buying were the major induces that decided the outcome of the election.

In other words, the brazen use of money to determine the outcome of elections, manifested in vote-buying and selling, has continued unfettered.

For instance, some officials of the Department of State Services (DSS)  arrested a suspected vote-buyer  at Ward 4, Polling Unit 007 outside St. Stephen’s Primary School, Akure, Ondo State around 9am.

The suspect was said to have been arrested with two bags of money which are suspected to be for the inducement of voters in the election.

Similar case was reported at Ward 01, unit 10, Ikare-Akoko.  A former member who represented Akoko North East Local Government in the state Assembly, Rasheed Elegbeleye Olalekan confirmed that the election was monetized.

His words: “There was no case of snatching of ballot boxes like we used to experience in previous elections but saw vote buying by the APC. They were buying votes for N15,000 per vote and you know PDP doesn’t have such money. PDP can’t even offer N2,000. Although, the turnout is impressive.”

However, a former House of Representative member and the former Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye who also cast his vote in the unit said there was no form of inducement.

“There is no vote buying in this unit, people are voting according to their conscience. Votes here are not for sale. So they vote according to the choice of candidate they want to vote for. No inducement. If anybody should be giving, I think it should be me but I’m not giving it to anybody.

“It was peaceful, without rancour. People voted, It was massive, and again, I have to say kudos to INEC for being dutiful and transparent. The voters came as early as 7 a.m., when  INEC said voting should start by 8.30 a.m. They’ve been here an hour plus, even before the INEC officials arrived. So it was like an excitement of voters.”

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room confirmed in its preliminary assessment expressed worry over the rate of vote buying in the election.

“This situation has continued unabatedly and heightened in this election. It is worrying that, despite the high presence of security personnel at the polling units, vote trading went on openly unchecked during the voting hours,”

YIAGA Africa on its part charged security and anti-graft agencies to ensure the diligent prosecution of individuals caught in the act.

Voter apathy

A total of 1, 757,205 voters were expected to cast their votes in the elections, but the results revealed that voter apathy in Nigeria’s elections has continued, with a low turnout recorded across the state.

Building on the above premise, According to Yiaga Africa, it’s preliminary estimates reveal that turnout for the 2024 Ondo Governorship Election fall between 24.8% and 27.6%, based on results collated from the polling units, using the PRVT’s election observation methodology.

BVAS Malfunction

A former member of House of Representatives for Akoko South East/Akoko South West Federal Constituency, Ade Adeogun lauded the professionalism of INEC officials but faulted the functionality of the Biometric Voter Accreditation System in most polling units.

“The problem we had here is with BVAS that caused delay in this unit and a lot of older voters couldn’t be accredited, so it caused a lot of frustration.

“The challenge with INEC is that they need to upgrade the BVAS technology. Identity management has progressed beyond what BVAS is producing now, because if you have a system that can’t operate when it’s a bit dark, or when cloud is low, then you’re way behind time.

“So, we think that in subsequent elections, at least before the 2027 general election, they need to update the software for the BVAS, they need to work on that, to speed up the process and make the system smoother.”

Convergence of Governors

Another major concern was the convergence of governors of APC and PDP in the Sunshine state during the election in the name of showing solidarity with their colleague.

THISDAY gathered that the governors’ besieged the state with money to influence voters.

In the caucus of APC, governors including  the chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum and Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun; Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Cross River state governor, Bassy Otu; Benue state governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Iormem Alia; and Usman Ododo of Kogi state, among others thronged the state with cash on the eve of the election.

Present in the camp of PDP were Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun) and Duoye Diri (Bayelsa).

Poor Party Image

Also, the belief by many residents of the state that APC government at the centre led by Bola Tinubu has plunged the country into economic hardship didn’t work against Aiyedatiwa at the poll.

In other words, most of the electorates forgot the hardship, hunger, frustration they are currently experiencing as they collected between N2,000 and N25,000 depending on the location of the polling unit the electorate voted. In some polling units, the vote buying was done with impunity.

INEC’s Professionalism

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who voted at Polling Unit 17: Ward 3, Oke-agbe in Akoko North West LGA of the state believed that both INEC and security agencies displayed high level of professionalism across the 18 LGAs in the state.

The minister who adjudged the election as peaceful also commended the large turnout of voters who trooped out in their numbers across the local government areas to exercise their franchise.

On his part, the Senator representing Ondo South on the platform of the APC, Jimoh Ibrahim, described the election as free, fair, and credible.

Similarly, a House of Representatives member representing Akoko South East and South West Federal Constituency, Hon Adegboyega Adefarati, described the conduct of the Ondo State governorship election as free, fair, and credible.

Adefarati who cast his vote at Unit 5, Ward 12 in Akungba Akoko noted that the process was seamless and devoid of malpractices, adding the residents of his constituency exercised their franchise without any restraint.

 He said: “The Ondo election was conducted in a free, fair, and credible manner. It was a smooth process, well-organized and transparent, with no reports of malpractices or irregularities throughout the exercise. More importantly, the atmosphere during the election was peaceful, as residents continued with their daily activities without disruptions.”

The Election Results

The results declared by the commission showed that in Akoko North East, APC garnered 25,657 votes to defeat the PDP candidate, who scored 5,072 votes.

In Idanre LGA, the APC also won with 9,114 votes against the PDP’s 8,940 votes, while in Ifedore LGA, the APC defeated the PDP, scoring 14, 157 against PDP’s 5,897 votes.

In Akoko South West, the APC also won with 29,700 votes, while the PDP got 5,517 votes, while in Akoko North West, the APC recorded a landslide victory with 25,010 votes against the PDP’s 5,502 votes.

The APC also won in Akoko South East, with 12,140 votes while the PDP got 2,692, while the ruling party also defeated the PDP in Ileoluji/Okeigbo LGA with 16,600 votes against PDP’s 4,442.

In Owo LGA, the APC got 31,914 votes to defeat the PDP, which scored 4,740 votes, while the APC also won in Ondo East with 8,163 votes while the PDP scored 2,843 votes.

The results also showed that the APC won in Ondo West, with 20,755 votes against PDP’s 6,387 votes while in Irele, APC scored 17,117 votes to win the PDP, which had 6,601 votes.

APC also won in Akure South with 32,969 votes, while the PDP got 17,926 votes. In Ose LGA, the APC also recorded a landslide victory with 16,555 votes against PDP’s 4,472 votes.

The results for Okitipupa LGA showed that APC polled 26,811 votes while scored 10,233 votes and in Akure North LGA, APC scored 14,451 votes but PDP only polled 5,787 votes.

In Odigbo LGA, APC scored 26683 votes while PDP polled 9348.

In Ilaje LGA, APC polled 24474 votes while PDP scored 3632 votes

APC also defeated Agboola Ajayi in his local government, Ese-Odo with 14,511 votes when PDP polled 7,814 votes.

In conclusion, moneybag politics has become a recipe for organised crime by politicians, the consequence of which is embezzlement of public funds and other acts of corruption; because a politician who invests hugely in winning an election is most likely to want to recoup his investment. There must be a stop to this phenomena.