Tag: Ondo Poll

  • Ondo Poll: Jegede Congratulates Akeredolu, Thanks Supporters After  Defeat

    Ondo Poll: Jegede Congratulates Akeredolu, Thanks Supporters After Defeat

    Mr Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated Governor Rotimi Akeredolu following the judgement of the Supreme Court on the Ondo State governorship election.

    Jegede, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and PDP’s candidate in the election, made the gesture on Wednesday despite his loss to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate at the apex court.

    “Now that we have explored the grievance procedure permitted by the constitution and the law, it is time to give glory to God,” he said in a statement personally signed by him.

    The senior advocate added, “With this outcome, our respect and reverence for the judiciary and our justices of the supreme court has not diminished.”

    He also thanked the legal team, led by Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), for their commitment, industry, and dedication to the cause, as well as for their sacrifice.

    Jegede commended the people of Ondo for their steadfastness, saying the decision to approach the apex court was for service and the collective interest of the majority of the people.

    “The outcome of today’s judgement should not deter good and well-meaning individuals from aspiring for leadership in our state and in our country. For all our people who have stood strong, we salute you.

    “We thank the national and state leadership and the generality of the members of PDP for providing us with great support. For our governors who provided the required leadership and kept faith with our aspiration, gratitude, history will judge you right,” said the PDP candidate.

    Jegede and his party had asked the Court of Appeal in Akure, Ondo State capital to sack Akeredolu, saying his nomination form was signed by a sitting governor, Mai Mala Buni (of Yobe State), who doubled as the Acting National Chairman of the APC.

    The appeal was filed in line with the constitutional provision that forbade a sitting governor from holding executive positions outside their statutory position as governors.

    But the appellate court struck out the appeal for lack of merit – a decision which made the appellants seek redress in at the Supreme Court.

    On Wednesday, a seven-man panel of justices of the Supreme Court had upheld the re-election of Governor Akeredolu in a majority judgement of four against three.

    The three justices disagreed with the majority judgement, stressing that Akeredolu’s candidacy in the October 10, 2020 poll was a nullity.

    They held that the appeal filed by the appellants had merit and ought not to be struck out by the appellate court.

    Governor Akeredolu polled 292,830 votes to defeat Jegede who scored 195,791 votes, and Agboola Ajayi of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) who came third in the election with 69,127 votes.

    It was the second time the governor would defeat his PDP rival candidate.

  • Ondo Poll: APC chieftain drums support for Akeredolu

    Ondo Poll: APC chieftain drums support for Akeredolu

    By Amadin Idahosa

    Barr. Morayo Lebi, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State has enjoined all and sundry in the state to vote en masse for the re-election of Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu come Oct.10 gubernatorial poll.

    In a statement he issued recently, he made the appeal in Akure while speaking with newsmen on impacts of the Akeredolu-led government in the state.

    Lebi, who congratulated the governor for winning the party primary, said that a landslide victory recorded by the governor in the primary connoted that the party had unflinching confidence in the candidature of the governor.

    He added that Akeredolu had made a good choice for choosing Lucky Aiyedatiwa as his running mate in the coming election.

    According to him, Aiyedatiwa is a man loved and an added factor to endear more votes for Akeredolu’s re-election especially in the Southern Senatorial District of the state in the poll.

    According to him, Akeredolu believes in equity and fairness,hence the essence of ongoing infrastructure and developmental projects across the state.

    Lebi,who was the APC flag-bearer in Ondo South Senatorial District in the 2015 election, noted that if Akeredolu could achieve so much within three years, he would have turned the state to cynosure of development if spent eight years.

    The Akotogbo born barrister explained that Akeredolu is an asset and architect of modern Ondo State.

    He, therefore, described Akeredolu as a man who would not renege on his words, adding that in spite of economic crunch,the governor could still meet up with basic needs of all sectors in the state.

    PHOTO: Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN and his running mate, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa