OndoDecides2024: Aiyedatiwa extends olive branch to opposition
By Kunle Sanni
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Tuesday called on the opposition to collaborate with his administration in governing the state, urging them to “join hands with the winning party.”
Governor Aiyedatiwa made the appeal during a visit to the State House, Abuja, where he and the Deputy Governor-elect, Olayide Adelami, presented their certificates of return to President Bola Tinubu.
On Sunday, November 17, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the Ondo State governorship election held the previous day.
The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja, Prof. Olayemi Akinwunmi, who served as the Returning Officer, announced that Aiyedatiwa secured 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ajayi Agboola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 117,845 votes. The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) candidate, Abbas Mimiko, younger brother of former Ondo State Governor Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, finished a distant third with 2,692 votes.
President Tinubu congratulated Aiyedatiwa and other candidates from the 17 political parties for their maturity and sense of purpose during the campaigns and election, attributing the peaceful conduct of the polls to the civility in the state.
Speaking with State House correspondents, Governor Aiyedatiwa said, “My advice to the opposition, particularly Mr. Agboola, who also aspired to govern the state, is to join hands with the winning party in government. If he has contributions to make, he can channel them through us so that, ultimately, the people of Ondo State will benefit.”
The governor expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for fostering an environment that enabled free and fair elections.
“I came here today to meet Mr. President to express my gratitude as the leader of our country and our party for providing an enabling environment and a level playing field for all candidates. I also presented my certificate of return to him as a mark of respect and recognition of his leadership,” Aiyedatiwa said.
Reflecting on his victory, the governor highlighted the unprecedented scale of his mandate: “The results were historic, with figures no governor in Ondo State has ever achieved. We won across all 18 local governments, which is a testament to the confidence the people have in our administration.”
Aiyedatiwa assured Ondo residents of his commitment to delivering good governance and the dividends of democracy, saying: “We will ensure development touches every sector of society. I’m not new to governance—I’ve served as governor for 10 months, and the people have witnessed our efforts. This is why they came out en masse to support us.”
Ondo State is one of eight states with off-cycle elections, a status it gained after a landmark court ruling overturned the 2007 election of former Governor Olusegun Agagu of the PDP. Agagu’s victory was contested by his main opponent, Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party, who alleged widespread electoral fraud.
The Court of Appeal upheld Mimiko’s claims, nullifying Agagu’s win and declaring Mimiko the rightful governor. Mimiko was sworn in on February 24, 2009, resetting the state’s electoral calendar and establishing its current off-cycle election schedule.
The most recent governorship election, held on November 16, 2024, saw Governor Aiyedatiwa, who had assumed office after the death of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in December 2023, secure a decisive victory. He won all 18 local government areas, amassing over 366,000 votes, and earning a full term in office.
