Skip to main content

AKEREDOLU RETURNS AS ONDO STATE GOVERNOR


 Alade Boye


Mr Rotimi Akeredolu has been re-elected as Governor of Ondo State on the back of a campaign in which he promised to provide composed and focused leadership marked by economic growth and improved security for people in the state.

The incumbent governor, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, swept to victory by winning 15 of the 18 local governments.

Governor Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress got 292,830 votes, while Mr Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party and Mr Agboola Ajayi of the Zenith Labour Party came second and third in the election with 195,791 and 69,127 votes, respectively.

“Having satisfied the requirement of the law and scored the highest number of votes, I hereby declare Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu of the APC as the winner, and he is hereby returned elected,” Chief Returning Officer for the election, Professor Olayinka said.

Professor Olayinka, who is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, announced the winner on Sunday at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Akure, which doubles as the final collation centre.


It is the second time the governor is defeating the PDP candidate. In 2016, Akeredolu, with Ajayi as his running mate, defeated Jegede to win his first term as governor. Ajayi fell out with Akeredolu and chose to go against his boss this time around.


Residents of the state came out on Saturday, across 3,009 polling units of 203 electoral wards/ registration areas in the 18 Local Government Areas (LGA) of the state, to choose their leader for the next four years.


The poll, the second major election to be conducted since the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, was preceded by a dramatic campaign featuring 17 political parties and their candidates, all racing for the top political office in the south-western state.


Up to 11 contenders pulled out of the race in favour of other candidates just in the final days of the campaign with the trio of Akeredolu, Jegede and Ajayi emerging as the leading contenders.


Ajayi’s conflict with Governor Akeredolu was one of the intriguing issues that provided drama in the months preceding the election in the state.

After surviving an attempt by the State Assembly to impeach him, the deputy governor dumped the APC for the PDP. But after failing to secure the PDP’s governorship ticket, he joined the ZLP – the platform on which he contested.

Governor Akeredolu’s first tenure as governor will expire on February 23, 2021, with victory in the bag, he is on course to govern the state for another four years.

In the coming hours and days, it is expected that the opposition parties that fielded candidates in the poll will make their position on the outcome known.

Under the Nigerian Constitution, the outcome of a governorship election can be contested at the Election Petitions Tribunal and should aggrieved parties be dissatisfied, they can proceed to the Court of Appeal.


Any party who is still not satisfied with the decision of the appellate court is at liberty to approach the Supreme Court, which has the final say.


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ANOTHER GAS EXPLOSION HITS AJAO ESTATE

By: Agosu Omoleye Barely a day after a gas explosion killed one in Lagos, three others have been confirmed dead in a similar explosion on Tuesday at Inua Mohammmed Street, Ajao Estate, Isolo. Ibrahim Farinloye, the acting coordinator for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said the explosion injured two other persons. According to Mr Farinloye, the explosion occurred at a panel beater’s workshop within the estate. “The explosion occurred while the technician was trying to up his oxycytelene flame popularly known as cabad’s cylinder. “The incident led to the death of three persons and rescue of two. One was immediately resuscitated while the other is in the hospital with severe burns. Seven shops were partially affected,” Mr Farinloye said. It was earlier reported how Usman Bello, a 30-year-old, was killed in an explosion on Monday, while three persons sustained injuries. Giving the update, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said the explosion was from a ga...
2 comments
Read more

ENCOURAGING THE AFRICAN START-UP ECOSYSTEM THROUGH TECH INNOVATIONS

Hon. Elvis Obi-Nwankwo, Special Adviser to Enugu state Governor on Innovation, Science and Technology. By: Agosu 'Tayo Once again, the administration of Enugu State has demonstrated the resolve to ensure that capacity building especially in the areas of Intellectual and entrepreneurial capacity building is given utmost priority while ensuring that the Nation continually remains relevant in the global scheme of things especially as it has to do with ICT, Block-chain Technology and other innovations while encouraging the sustenance of the startup ecosystem. In his Keynote address, the Special Adviser to the Enugu State Governor on Innovation, Science and Technology Hon. Elvis Obi-Nwankwo made it known while giving his key-note address at an event in Eko hotel Lagos state made it known the current administration in Enugu do everything possible to remain the Trailblazers in the Tech space of the country while extending their frontiers from South-East Nigeria to Germany and other parts ...
2 comments
Read more

DRAMA AS NDDC WALKS OUT ON LAWMAKERS

By: Agosu Omoleye T he Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has walked out on lawmakers at an investigative hearing put together by the House of Representatives.  The Commission on Thursday refused to make presentations before the House Committee on NDDC. According to the acting managing director of the NDDC, Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, the Commission cannot partake an investigative hearing which is being presided over by the chairman of the committee who has been accused by the NDDC of hijacking the Commission’s projects. Professor Pondei was of the opinion that the NDDC will not get a fair hearing. Following the NDDC’s action, the committee resolved to issue a warrant of arrest compelling Professor Ponder to appear before the lawmakers and make a proper submission. Meanwhile, armed security operatives on Thursday surrounded the home of former managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Joy Nunieh, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. The se...
Post a Comment
Read more