Ajayi Heads to Tribunal to Contest Aiyedatiwa’s Victory in Ondo Election
Agboola Ajayi, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State, has filed a petition with the Ondo State Election Petition Tribunal challenging the victory of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. This move comes 24 days after the election, in which Aiyedatiwa, from the All Progressives Congress, was declared the winner with 366,781 votes, defeating Ajayi who secured 117,845 votes.
Speaking at the PDP Secretariat in Akure, Ajayi confirmed that his legal team had filed the petition, seeking justice from the court. While he refrained from disclosing the specific grounds of the petition, Ajayi expressed his dissatisfaction with the election result, calling it a "miscarriage of democracy."
Ajayi emphasized that his party had refrained from commenting publicly until they had conducted a thorough review of the election day events. He expressed gratitude to the people of Ondo State for their support, despite alleged vote-buying and intimidation. He criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for not acting impartially, alleging that the results did not reflect the will of the people.
Ajayi also called on the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act, citing concerns over the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, which he claims has been manipulated. Despite challenges to the judiciary’s integrity, Ajayi expressed confidence that the tribunal would fairly adjudicate the case, asserting that Ondo State deserves leaders chosen through a free and fair election.
Previously, the Federal High Court in Akure dismissed Ajayi’s suit challenging Aiyedatiwa and his deputy’s qualifications, citing procedural errors and lack of standing.
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