Voters across Ondo State’s 18 local government areas turned out in large numbers on Saturday to elect a new governor for the next four years.
According to Tribune Online, as of the time of this report, 54.54% of the results had been uploaded to the INEC portal. This represents figures from 2,145 polling units out of the 3,933 units in the state. However, none of the 18 local government areas have been fully tallied yet.
Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Agboola Ajayi, has emerged victorious at his polling unit, Apoi Ward II, Unit 004 in Kiribo, Ese Odo council area. Ajayi secured 194 votes, leaving his closest rival, Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with just 3 votes.
The PDP also celebrated another significant win at Polling Unit 8, Ward 2, Alade Okun, Alade-Idanre, delivered by its deputy governorship candidate, Hon. Festus Akingbaso. Akingbaso clinched a landslide victory, garnering 187 votes against the APC’s 46 votes. Other parties, including the Labour Party (LP), the Action Alliance (AA), and the PLP, each managed only one vote at the unit.
Tensions were high at Akingbaso’s unit as reports emerged of hoodlums attempting to disrupt the voting process and seize the ballot box. However, quick intervention by armed policemen, who fired shots into the air, dispersed the assailants and ensured the votes were counted without further incident.
With results still coming in, Ondo State anxiously awaits the final outcome of an election marked by high voter turnout and heightened security challenges.
(With additional information from Tribune)
