Protests mar announcement of Aiyedatiwa as APC gubernatorial flagbearer in Ondo State

Ondo State Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has been announced as the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 16 governorship election. The election in 203 wards across the 18 local governments was held on Saturday, except in Okitipupa Local Government, which was held yesterday afternoon. Results from the local governments were collated until the early hours of today by the Governor Usman Ododo-led electoral panel. Electoral officers from the local governments personally announced the results before the seven-man panel after the results were tallied. In the final tally, Aiyedatiwa won 48,569 votes; Samuel Akinfolarin, 15,182; Olusola Oke, 14,453; Jimoh Ibrahim, 9,457 and Wale Akinterinwa, 1,952. A mild drama played out during the collation of results. There were protests by aggrieved party members, who claimed the election was not held. Protesters holding placards and singing songs stormed the state secretariat of the APC, Akure, demanding the cancellation of results and a rerun. Four out of the 16 aspirants – Oke, Akinterinwa, Jimi Odimayo and Folakemi Omogoroye – rejected the outcome. Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the Director-General for Olusola Oke Campaign Organisation in Ondo Central Senatorial District, Adeniran Oyebade, said the protest was against a stolen mandate.