The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the outcome of the 2024 Ondo State governorship election, describing the exercise as the worst election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
LEADERSHIP reports that INEC on Sunday declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the APC as the winner of the governorship election in Ondo State after polling 366,781 votes to defeat his major rival and candidate of the PDP, Agboola Ajayi, who came second with 117,845 votes, while African Democratic Party’s Adeyemi Nejo came distant third with 4,138.
But, the opposition party said the Ondo State governorship election fell short of all expectations and requirements of a free, fair and credible election as it witnessed the height of electoral swindle, deceit and manipulation by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The national publicity secretary of PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, said the election witnessed widespread election merchandising, monetisation and barefaced vote buying by the APC and its apparatus in government to suppress the genuine aspiration of the people.
In a post-election statement, Ologunagba said: “This devious practice by the APC was rampant and pervasive because the APC have utterly impoverished Nigerians and turned poverty into a weapon of mass subjugation which enabled it to manipulate the election and its outcome.
“We call the attention of all Nigerians and the International Community to this reprehensible practice by the APC as widely witnessed in the November 16, 2024 governorship election in Ondo State and we demand that a serious action be taken to stem such if Nigeria’s democracy must survive.”
“In the meantime, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP will be having a more detailed review of the election and its outcome and take appropriate action in the defence of our democracy,” the statement added.
