Ondo poll: PDP candidate Agboola Ajayi heads to tribunal

Ondo poll: PDP candidate Agboola Ajayi heads to tribunal

Agboola Ajayi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the November 16th Ondo State election, has rejected the declared results and announced his intention to challenge them in court.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner with 366,781 votes, while Ajayi secured 117,845 votes.

In a statement released by his campaign spokesperson, Ayo Fadaka, Ajayi described the election process as a “debauchery” and affirmed that legal action was the only path to seek justice.

“We reject the results of the November 16th election and will pursue legal action to reverse this evil. We trust man and God, the ultimate judge, to deliver justice. It is high time we eradicated criminality from our electoral system,” Ajayi declared.

Ajayi accused the APC and INEC of manipulating the election process to subvert the people’s will. He claimed the election was marred by irregularities that undermined democracy and expressed concerns over the pattern of elections under APC governance since 2015.

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“We have uncovered numerous acts of compromise that have tarnished the electoral desires of the people,” Ajayi alleged. “Democracy cannot thrive in an environment where INEC, tasked with protecting our franchise, perpetuates criminality and delivers results contrary to the people’s expressed desires.”

Ajayi also highlighted growing voter apathy due to perceived electoral malpractices, which he said eroded public confidence in the democratic process.

“The November 16th election is yet another example of how INEC, under APC’s leadership, hijacks electoral processes and delivers results opposed to the electorate’s will,” he said.

Ajayi’s legal challenge aims to address the alleged irregularities and restore confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system. The PDP has pledged to pursue the matter diligently and expressed optimism that justice will prevail.

Governor Aiyedatiwa and the APC are yet to respond to the allegations. The tribunal proceedings are expected to draw significant attention as a test of Nigeria’s commitment to electoral transparency and fairness.

Ondo poll: PDP candidate Agboola Ajayi heads to tribunal