BY MYKE UZENDU
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that lovers of democracy in Nigeria and across the world witnessed the worst election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ondo state.
The Peoples Democratic Party described the just concluded governorship election in Ondo State as a sham and the worst the country.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Ondo State governorship election held on Saturday.
Aiyedatiwa defeated his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), securing 366,781 votes to Ajayi’s 117,845. The APC clinched victory in all 18 local government areas of the state.
The main opposition party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Deborah Ologunagba on Sunday said that the November 16, 2024 governorship election in Ondo State runs short of all expectations and requirements of a free, fair and credible election as it witnessed the height of electoral swindle, deceit and manipulation by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“This election witnessed widespread election merchandising, monetization and barefaced vote buying by the APC and its apparatus in government to suppress the genuine aspiration of the people.
“This devious practice by the APC was rampant and pervasive because the APC have utterly impoverished Nigerians and turned poverty into a weapon of mass subjugation which enabled it to manipulate the election and its outcome” the party stated.
The party described the action of the APC and INEC as reprehensible and demanded that a serious action be taken to stem such if Nigeria’s democracy must survive.
The party said that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP will be having a more detailed review of the election and its outcome and take appropriate action in the defence of our Democracy.