17th November, 2024
Michael Adeshina
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned the 2024 Ondo State governorship election, labeling it the worst election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This harsh criticism came after INEC declared Lucky Ayedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the election.
According to INEC’s official results, Ayedatiwa secured a sweeping victory in all 18 Local Government Areas, garnering 366,781 votes to defeat Agboola Ajayi of the PDP, who received 117,845 votes.
The PDP swiftly responded to the announcement, expressing deep disappointment and concern.
The PDP asserted that the election fell woefully short of expectations and requirements for a free, fair, and credible electoral process.
The party alleged widespread electoral irregularities, including deceit, manipulation, and swindle, perpetrated by the APC.
The statement by the opposition party partly reads; “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.
“We call the attention of all Nigerians and the International Community to this reprehensible practice by the APC as widely witnessed in the November 16, 2024 Governorship election in Ondo State and we demand that a serious action be taken to stem such if Nigeria’s democracy must survive.
“In the meantime, 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.”
