The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its governorship candidate, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye, have rejected the results of the recently concluded gubernatorial election in Ondo State, citing widespread thuggery, vote buying, and other electoral irregularities. The party has vowed to challenge the results in court, describing the election outcome as a “slap on democracy.”
At a press conference in Akure on Monday, the SDP Chairman in Ondo State, Gbenga Akinbuli, called for the immediate cancellation of the election, alleging that voters were subjected to intimidation and harassment by political thugs at polling units. Specifically, he highlighted Ward 10, Unit 19, in Ondo West Local Government, where voters were reportedly offered bribes ranging from N7,000 to N10,000.
Akinbuli condemned the violence, stating, “The thugs chased everybody out of the polling unit. People were scared to come out and vote. Our agents were chased out, and the security at the polling units could not intervene.”
He further criticized the outcome in Ilaje, where the SDP received zero votes, suggesting that voters were too intimidated to cast their ballots. “It was a day of buyers and sellers in Ondo,” Akinbuli added, denouncing the election as deeply flawed and undermined by corruption.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner, with Aiyedatiwa securing 366,781 votes against his rival, Ajayi Agboola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 117,845 votes.
The SDP is now preparing to take legal action, demanding a fair review of the election process.
