While the outgoing Ondo state Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sent a congratulatory message to Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who was elected in the Saturday election as the next governor on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the PDP has rejected the result of the election.
This was even as a chieftain of the APC in Ogun State, Chief Tolu Odebiyi, has also congratulated Akeredolu on his emergence as the Governor-Elect of Ondo State.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Eni Akinsola, Governor Mimiko said: “It behoves on me as Governor of Ondo State to congratulate the Governor-elect, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and wish him success in the challenging task of governing our dear state.
“It is incumbent upon me as Governor to facilitate smooth transition between my government and the incoming one. I will, to this end, provide the ambience for a smooth and seamless transition process.”
While promising to continue to provide leadership to the state until the takeover date, Mimiko expressed appreciation to the people of the state.
“I use this medium to express my sincere appreciation to all our citizens for the very peaceful manner in which they conducted themselves throughout the election period.
“I will not waiver in providing needed leadership to our dear state till the last day of my term.”
Mimiko called on the residents to strive to sustain the peace enjoyed in the state for the past seven years and promised to speak with the people as occasion demands “as my eight-year tenure inches to an end.”

But in a statement by the spokesperson of the PDP, Dayo Adeyeye, the party said that it has rejected the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State, and described the outcome of the election as a “charade and not the true reflection of the will of the people of Ondo State.”
The PDP accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of having aided the APC to rig the election.
It alleged that INEC has now “graduated from inconclusive Elections as seen in Kogi, Bayelsa, Osun, FCT, Imo, Nasarawa and some other previous by-elections in the Country to ‘Advanced Election Rigging’, as in the case of Edo and Ondo States Gubernatorial Elections.
“It is common knowledge that the APC Agents openly bought votes of the electorates in the full glare of security operatives who did nothing to prevent such dastardly violation of the Electoral Law.
“It is not surprising that the electorates in Ondo state became so vulnerable to the corruptive influence of the APC because of the hash economic situation in the Country inflicted on Nigerians by the APC Administration which has indeed made all Nigerians virtually beggars in their own Country.”
Adeyeye said that PDP had persistently called for the postponement of the election before Saturday, for at least two weeks to enable the Party campaign and prepare properly for the election.
He said that the party’s request followed the setback orchestrated by “Justice Okon Abang and the charlatans in PDP who allowed themselves to be used by the APC to destroy our chances in the Ondo state election.
“The actions of INEC in collaboration with the APC led Administration left us no time to campaign and sell our Candidate and Party Manifesto to the electorates in Ondo State.
“Our persistent call for the postponement of the Election which was backed and supported by more than 20 other political parties were all rejected by INEC which were acting the script of the APC.
“It was a carefully planned and well-orchestrated strategy to rig the Election well in advance by preventing the PDP from planning and campaigning for the Election. The APC has hereby introduced a new formula of rigging Election in Nigeria.
“In view of the fact that the Election was blatantly manipulated from the beginning to the end to favour the APC, we vehemently reject the results of the November 26, 2016 Gubernatorial Election in Ondo State.”
The PDP scribe said that the Saturday’s election and all actions leading to it fell short of laid down principles guiding conduct of elections in Nigeria.
“We have instructed our Candidate and the Ondo State Chapter of our Party to proceed to the Tribunal to challenge the Outcome of the Election. We call on the Judiciary to redeem Nigeria’s image on this matter as we request for the total Cancellation of the Election in Ondo State.”
This was even as Chief Tolu Odebiyi, in a statement by his Media Office, said that Akeredolu’s emergence is a reflection of the abiding faith of Nigerians in the APC as the party capable of rescuing the country from the rot into which the Peoples Democratic Party has thrown it.
Odebiyi said that it was also a show of belief in the capacity of Akeredolu to take Ondo State to the Promised Land after several years in the hands of the opposition.
“This is a plus also for the leadership shown by President Muhammadu Buhari in piloting the affairs of the country.
“It indeed is a reflection of the belief of Nigerians in the capacity of the President and the APC to take the country out of the doldrums despite the attempts by the opposition to rubbish the good works being done to redeem the country.”
Odebiyi praised the leadership of the APC at the national level, adding: “it is equally pertinent to congratulate the governors elected on the platform of the APC in the South West, especially the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, because their dedication to service and delivery of democratic dividends as seen by the people must have spurred the need for change as demanded for by the people of Ondo State with the election of Chief Akeredolu.” [myad]

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, polled a total of 224,842 votes to defeat 27 other candidates in the governorship election, held in Ondo state yesterday, Saturday, November 26.
The results were declared today, Sunday by the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Abdul Ganiyu Ambali.
The result showed that Rotimi Akeredolu was followed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Eyitayo Olayinka Jegede, who polled a total of 150,380 votes while, Olusola Alex Oke of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in third place scored a total of 126,889 votes.
Declaring the result, Professor Abdul Ganiyu Ambali, said: “Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, having fulfilled the requirements of the law and got the highest votes is the winner and is returned elected.”
The state has a total of 1,647,973 registered voters and 584,997 were accredited for the election while a total of 580,887 votes were cast.
A total of 551,272 votes were valid and 29,615 votes were rejected across the eighteen (18) Local Government Areas in the state.
Here under is the full result with figures as declared by the Commission. [myad]

The National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Rotimi Akeredolu, the winner of the governorship election in Ondo State, even as he asked party members to close ranks “for the good of our party and its progressive ideals.”

Tinubu who had, before yesterday’s election, opposed to Akeredolu’s emergence as candidate of the APC and who abstained from the party’s candidate campaign launch in Akure last week, today, Sunday, shortly after Akeredolu was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), commended Ondo people for their exemplary conduct during the election.

He particularly commended the Ondo people for demonstrating their will to shun the regressive politics of yesterday by returning to the progressive brand of politics that has been the trademark of the people of that state.

“I congratulate all party members in the state, particularly the party leadership in the Southwest. I must express profound congratulations to President Muhammadu Buhari, the national leader of the party, whose stature and dignity helped guide the APC to another victory that should advance the progressive aims of the party and the people.

“To all the people and parties in Ondo, your election has been had and held. Now is the time that all must work for the continued development, prosperity and peace of your state and our beloved country.

“I appeal to all party members including those who have been disaffected from the primary until today to come together for the good of our party and its progressive ideals.

He extended congratulations “to Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN on the outcome of the election and for his perseverance and persistence in seeking that office.” [myad]

The Convener of the Nigeria Civil Society, Situation Room, Clement Nwanko, has described the Ondo State governorship election as generally peaceful and smooth.

In a post election news briefing today, Sunday, in Akure, Ondo state capital, Nwanko commended the professionalism displayed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the voting process at the polling units.
He acknowledged the participation of all political parties in the election despite media reports of
call for postponement by some, and expressed satisfaction with the way all adhered to the peace accord they entered into before the election.
Nwankwo said that observations and reports from the field indicated that there was early distribution and deployment of personnel and materials, which led to commencement of voting at scheduled time of 8am on Saturday.
Security personnel carried out their duties in a civil way even though there were isolated incidents of misconduct by some.
Nwankwo, however, admitted that there were challenges with receiving collated results from local governments that were distant from Akure, the state collation headquarters.
According to him, it created delay in the announcement of results from all of the councils at the same time and advised that further work be done to improve collation time in future election.
“There was still much concern that the general arrangement of some polling units with inadequate floor spaces compromised vote secrecy.”
He said that the situation room observed in Polling Unit 005, Ward 01, Akoko South East and Polling Unit 005 Ward 03 in Idanre councils respectively report of police officer found collecting envelope from party agents.
The situation room also observed that there was poor welfare condition for security personnel deployed for the election and security men complained of lack of support and welfare package.
Nwanko also noticed the issue of vote buying by political parties in the election, saying reports of parties paying voters to induce support had continued and posed a threat to free election in Nigeria.
The situation room is made up of Civil Society Organization working in support of credible and transparent election in Nigeria. [myad]

President Muhammadu Buhari has advised all the contestants in the just concluded Ondo state governorship election to see the triumph of Chief Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as the wish of God.
He therefore asked them to work together with the governor-elect to make the state a truly progressive and economically prosperous one for all.
In a congratulatory message issued by the special adviser to Buhari on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the President described the victory of Chief Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well-deserved.
The President rejoiced with the people of Ondo State, who aligned with his own belief that Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, with his pedigree, possesses the qualities to transform the state into the Ondo of their dreams.
“From the beginning, this election set out to be a different kind of election. The unity and resilience of the party was tested. I am happy we came out of this victorious.
“This is a huge win. The mood today is against corruption, insecurity and for the restoration of the economy and the creation of jobs. This is where the party stands and I am happy that the electorate has read the situation correctly,” said the President.
Buhari also congratulated the Chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun, the Chairman of the Campaign Committee, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, and all party faithful who put in their best and braved the odds to ensure a successful outing for the flag bearer.
The President commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Security Agencies and the voters for the peaceful and successful conduct of the elections.
He urged the Governor-elect to put behind whatever acrimonies may have arisen from the electioneering process, and reach out to all well-meaning people in the state and beyond, to implement his vision and bring the much desired CHANGE to the people.
The President assured Nigerians that the APC-led administration under his watch is committed to playing by the rules, and that there will be no let-up “until we see the great nation of our dreams in all spheres of national development.” [myad]