Jubilation, despair, dissatisfaction trail Akeredolu’s triumph as Ondo State governor
The emergence of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) as the next governor of Ondo State has begun to attract mixed reactions across the country.
Congratulatory messages, jubilation, despair and dissatisfaction have all characterised popular reactions since INEC announced the elections results several hours ago.
Akeredolu won with 244,842 votes to beat 27 other contestants, with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) coming a distant second with 150,380 votes to his name.
Akeredolu in his acceptance speech, thanked his supporters for the “faith and confidence” placed in him, pledging to hit the ground running as soon as he takes over from outgoing governor of the state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.
“Today, change has come. I hereby make a solemn pledge that this collective mandate shall address all issues with keen determination. The welfare of our people alone shall be the directive policy of the government,” he said.
“I shall, in a few months, be saddled with the task of providing responsible leadership, a leadership that would take our people from poverty and stagnation to productivity and prosperity, from pains and lamentation to joy and laughter. It is the sole reason you have voted for me and by the grace of God I will not fail you.”
Jegede in his reaction to the results however, bemoaned INEC’s refusal to postpone the election given the ‘limited’ time he had to fully execute his campaign.
“I should thank our people for their steadfastness. We are studying the situation and very soon you will know my position and my party’s position.
“You all know the event that led to the election, we were in court, I got judgment 48 hours to the election; our request for postponement was turned down for reasons not known to us,” he said.
Elsewhere, several political observers are of the opinion that PDP lost the election due to Mimiko’s insistence on choosing his successor from the same senatorial district he hails from.
One of those who echoed such opinion was Senator Buruji Kashamu, who labelled Mimiko as “Fayose’s puppet, allowing Fayose to lead him by the nose.”
“We told Governor Mimiko that after eight years in office, the good people of Ondo State would resist the injustice of producing a successor from the same senatorial district where he hails from,” Kashamu said.
“It is not that Jegede is not a good material. He is urbane, intelligent and smart. He would have probably won had he come from any other senatorial zone than Mimiko’s.
“We told Mimiko that the people would not take anything that would look like a third term for him and his senatorial district. He would not listen.”
Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose who had earlier expressed his dissatisfaction at the election proceedings, further maintained that his party lost due to a compromise by INEC in support of APC.
“Although INEC allowed what appeared like a free and fair atmosphere on the election day, the election had been won and lost before it was held,” he said in a statement.
“For instance, INEC that witnessed the PDP primary that produced Mr. Eyitayo Jegede succumbed to pressure from the APC cabal to replace him with Jimoh Ibrahim, who did not take part in any primary known to the Electoral Act.
“The whole process was a deliberate sabotage by INEC, which has totally bastardised the electoral process.”
President of the Federal Republic, Muhammadu Buhari and the National Leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu have in their respective statements, congratulated Akeredolu on his victory.
“This is a huge win. The mood today is against corruption, insecurity and for the restoration of the economy and the creation of jobs. This is where the party stands and I am happy that the electorate has read the situation correctly,” the President’s statement read in part.
Akeredolu will, according to the constitution, take over from Mimiko in three months’ time.
