The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed the Ondo governorship election as a farce, claiming irregularities and malpractice marred the process. The party announced it is reviewing the results and considering its next steps.
The Peoples Democratic Party has criticized the way the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) handled Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State, labeling it as “a sham.”
In a statement released on Sunday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the opposition party announced that it is evaluating the poll results.
According to INEC’s announcement, Agboola Ajayi of the PDP finished a distant second with 117,845 votes. The winner was Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa from the All Progressives Congress (APC), who secured 366,781 votes.
In their statement, the opposition party characterized the election as the most poorly conducted by INEC to date.
The Peoples Democratic Party, along with all supporters of democracy in Nigeria and globally, have just observed what they consider the most poorly conducted election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“The statement highlighted that the Ondo State governorship election on November 16, 2024, fell significantly below expectations and standards for a free, fair, and credible process. It was marked by extreme levels of electoral fraud, deception, and manipulation allegedly orchestrated by the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
The PDP also claimed that the APC engaged in extensive vote buying, attributing its prevalence to the ruling party’s impoverishment of Nigerians.
In this election, there was extensive merchandising and monetization, along with blatant vote buying by the APC and its governmental apparatus to stifle the true aspirations of the people.
This underhanded tactic by the APC was widespread and all-encompassing, as they have significantly impoverished Nigerians. By turning poverty into a tool for mass oppression, they were able to manipulate both the election process and its results effectively.
We urge Nigerians and the International Community to focus on this unacceptable behavior by the APC, as widely observed in the November 16, 2024 gubernatorial election in Ondo State. We demand decisive measures be taken to prevent such actions if Nigeria’s democracy is to endure.
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP will conduct a thorough review of the election and its results to take necessary actions in defense of our Democracy.
