The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the results of the Ondo State governorship election held on November 16, 2024, claiming the victory of incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was marred by electoral fraud.
In a statement released by the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of manipulating the election through widespread vote-buying and voter intimidation. Ologunagba described the poll as “the worst election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),” alleging that the APC’s tactics undermined the integrity of the democratic process.
“The election was rigged through a combination of electoral swindle, deceit, and manipulation,” Ologunagba said, stressing that the APC’s use of poverty as a “weapon of mass subjugation” severely disrupted the genuine aspirations of Ondo voters.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, the APC candidate, was declared the winner after securing 366,781 votes across all 18 local government areas, defeating PDP’s Agboola Ajayi, who received 117,845 votes.
The State Returning Officer, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, confirmed the result, stating Aiyedatiwa’s victory was decisive.
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In response, the APC dismissed the PDP’s allegations, with its National Publicity Director, Bala Ibrahim, accusing the opposition of refusing to accept defeat.
“The PDP has developed a habit of blaming the APC and INEC whenever they lose an election,” Ibrahim said, pointing out that the PDP had failed to acknowledge the broader support for Aiyedatiwa’s leadership.
He added, “Nigerians are aware of the misrule during the PDP’s 16 years in power. The party is losing its credibility, and no amount of finger-pointing will change the fact that the people have moved on.”
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