The People’s Democratic Party has described the just-concluded Ondo State Governorship election as the worst performance by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the discharge of its responsibilities.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, expressed the PDP’s dissatisfaction with the election process.
INEC had earlier declared Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, as the winner of the polls.
Ologunagba stated, “The PDP, and indeed all lovers of democracy in Nigeria and across the world, have just witnessed the worst election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”
He further argued that the November 16, 2024, governorship election in Ondo State fell far short of the expectations and standards for a free, fair, and credible election. He described it as a display of electoral fraud, deceit, and manipulation by the APC.
According to Ologunagba, “This election saw widespread election merchandising, monetization, and flagrant vote-buying by the APC and its government apparatus, suppressing the genuine aspirations of the people. This devious practice was rampant and pervasive because the APC has impoverished Nigerians, turning poverty into a weapon of mass subjugation, enabling them to manipulate the election and its outcome.”
He further called on Nigerians and the international community to take notice of these reprehensible practices, which were widely witnessed in the November 16 election in Ondo State. The PDP demanded that serious action be taken to prevent such occurrences in future elections to ensure the survival of Nigeria’s democracy.
In the meantime, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP will conduct a more detailed review of the election and its outcome and take appropriate action in defence of democracy.
