Ondo poll: LP candidate accuses Obi, NLC for defeat
The candidate of the Labour Party in Saturday’s off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State, Ayodele Olorunfemi, has alleged that the Presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 general election Peter Obi and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) ruined his chances of winning.
The Informant247 reports that the incumbent governor and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Lucky Aiyedatiwa was on Sunday, declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)after scoring 366,781 votes in all 18 LGAs to defeat his closest rival Agboola Ajayi, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 117,845 votes.
The LP candidate finished fifth after securing 1,162 votes, from the bottom in the 17-candidate off-cycle election.
It would be recalled that Olusola Ebiseni was substituted with Olorunfemi by the INEC on the eve of the election.
Court case
Meanwhile, the federal high court in Abuja on September 27 directed INEC to recognise Ebiseni as the LP candidate.
However, the party appealed the judgment, and the appellate court struck out the earlier judgment for lack of jurisdiction.
The umpire said it had restored Olorunfemi’s name as the LP candidate in line with the court judgment.
“The commission was yesterday 14th November 2024 served with the certified true copy (CTC) of the judgment of the court of appeal which set aside the judgment of the federal high court (FHC), Abuja division,” the statement reads.
“In obedience to the court order, the commission has restored Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus, whose name was first published as the Labour Party candidate for the 2024 Ondo state governorship election, and uploaded the same to our website for public information.”
Obi’s endorsement of Ebiseni
Furthermore, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the February 23 presidential election Peter Obi, endorsed Ebiseni in the buildup to the election, describing him as “someone who believes in a Nigeria rooted in fairness, equity, and justice”.
“It is this conviction that propelled me to travel by road to Ondo state yesterday to campaign alongside our Labour Party Governorship Candidate, Hon. Sola Ebiseni — a candidate I believe possesses the competence and capacity to govern the State effectively,” Obi said.
Obi, NLC ruined my ambition
However, Olorunfemi, while speaking with PUNCH, alleged that Obi and NLC sabotaged his governorship bid while admitting that his last-minute campaign was poorly organised and ineffectual.
“My campaign for the election was neither here nor there. I have Peter Obi and the NLC to thank for that. They have scuttled my aspirations and chances to win this Ondo election,” Olorunfemi said.
“These people spoilt things for us with that PDP reject they wanted to force on the party. Their insistence on having Ebiseni on the ballot ruined everything for me.
“They just capitalised on the crisis between the Labour Party and the Nigeria Labour Congress to create problems.
“Can you imagine that Ebiseni wrote a letter to the court in my name without my knowledge, saying I have withdrawn from the race? They cannot exclude me from such a position.”
Olorunfemi admitted that he knew his chances of winning were slim after his reinstatement, adding that he is determined to “get his pound of flesh”.
Back story
The Informant247 reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday afternoon, declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa winner of Saturday’s off-cycle election in Ondo State.
The Returning Officer for the election Olayemi Akinwumi, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State made the official declaration to extend the governor’s stay at the Government House in Alagbaka, Akure.
Aiyedatiwa polled 366,781 votes to defeat his arch-rival and former deputy governor of the state Ajayi Agboola, who flew the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag. He scored 117,845 votes, more than twice lower than the APC candidate.
The returning officer, while declaring the Aiyedatiwa winner at exactly 2:30 pm at the INEC collation centre in Akure, said, “That Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of the APC having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
Lucky Aiyedatiwa was sworn in as governor on Wednesday, December 27, 2023.
Having been declared the winner of the election, Aiyedatiwa is set to extend his stay at the helm of affairs in the oil-rich state. He – a former deputy governor – ascended to power on December 27th, 2023 after Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s death.
Akeredolu died on the same day after a lengthy battle with illness and had before his demise transmitted power to Aiyedatiwa.
He thereafter won the APC’s ticket for the 2024 governorship election in Ondo, pitting him against 17 other candidates including Agboola who was also a former deputy to Akeredolu during his first term in office.
