The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the November 16 Ondo State governorship election, Agboola Ajayi, has filed a petition with the Ondo State Election Petition Tribunal, contesting the victory of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Aiyedatiwa the winner with 366,781 votes, while Ajayi garnered 117,845 votes.
Speaking to journalists at the Ondo State PDP Secretariat, Ajayi confirmed that his legal team had filed the petition, seeking what he described as “justice from the court.” However, he declined to reveal specific details of the grounds for his legal challenge.
Ajayi expressed dissatisfaction with the election results, describing them as a “miscarriage of democracy.” He alleged widespread vote-buying and voter intimidation during the election.
“The outcome does not reflect the wishes of the electorate or the people of Ondo State,” he said.
He also called on the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act, raising concerns about the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which he claimed had been manipulated.
Ajayi maintained that Ondo State deserves leaders chosen through a truly free and fair electoral process and expressed confidence that the tribunal would deliver an impartial judgment.
This development follows a recent decision by the Federal High Court in Akure, which dismissed Ajayi’s earlier suit challenging the qualifications of Aiyedatiwa and his deputy. The court cited procedural errors and lack of standing as reasons for the dismissal.
