Ondo: INEC Presents Certificates of Return to Aiyedatiwa, Deputy

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented certificates of return to Ondo State Governor-elect,  Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his Deputy, Adelami Olayide.

The certificates were presented to Aiyedatiwa and Olayide in Abuja  four days after they were declared the winner of the poll by the Supervisory National Commissioner of Ondo State, Prof. Kunle Ajayi.

The event, which was held at the INEC headquarters on Wednesday, had the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun and some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party in attendance.

Speaking, Aiyedatiwa thanked the people of Ondo State for exercising their franchise and renewing his mandate.

He said: “The mandate you have just renewed via your huge votes across the 18 LGAs where we won convincingly has placed a burden on me to serve you better than I did before now.”

He also thanked President Bola Tinubu, whom he said provided a level playing field for all parties.

Aiyedatiwa also commended INEC for conducting a free, fair, transparent, credible, and inclusive election.

The electoral body had on Sunday declared Aiyedatiwa, the governorship candidate of the APC as the winner of the election held in Ondo  State on Saturday.

Aiyedatiwa defeated the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Agboola Ajayi, and 15 other candidates to emerge the winner of the electoral contest.

In an unprecedented win, Aiyedatiwa won in all the 18 local government areas of the state.

The state Returning Officer, Olayemi Akinwumi, said Aiyedatiwa polled a total of 366,781 votes to defeat Ajayi of PDP, who got 117,845 votes.

Despite the landslide victory, Agboola has decided to head for the election petition tribunal to challenge the victory.