Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, who recently secured a fresh mandate in the off-season gubernatorial election, has vowed to hand over to another All Progressives Congress (APC) governor at the end of his tenure.
Aiyedatiwa made this statement on Wednesday shortly after receiving his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Abuja.
The certificates were presented by INEC’s National Commissioner for Ondo State, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, to Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Dr. Olayide Adelami.
Speaking at the APC National Secretariat after his visit to INEC, Governor Aiyedatiwa attributed his landslide victory to the people’s trust in the APC. “In as much as I will continue to express my gratitude to the good people of Ondo State for their overwhelming support and votes for me and my party, the APC, I must also appreciate the platform that gave me this opportunity,” he stated.
He emphasized his commitment to recognizing party leadership, saying, “We will first present the Certificate to the President. He is our leader, the leader of this party. That’s why I can’t present the Certificate to you first,” he told the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Aiyedatiwa praised the party’s achievements under Ganduje’s leadership. “Since you took over, we haven’t lost any election. Your strategy, mobilization, and the leadership provided by President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu have been crucial in our victories in Edo and Ondo states. The renewed hope agenda and the party’s organizational strength resonated with the people,” he said.
Reflecting on the election outcome, he highlighted the unprecedented nature of their victory: “We achieved what no other governorship candidate has ever done in Ondo State — winning in all 18 local government areas. This was a clear and loud statement by the people of Ondo State in favor of APC, integrity, good governance, and continuity.”
He assured the people of Ondo that the APC’s legacy would remain intact, promising to deliver on campaign promises and exceed expectations. “The people have placed a burden on us to do more than what we achieved in the last 10 months. After we end our service, the APC would take over from us again,” he added.
In his remarks, APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje expressed gratitude to party stakeholders in Ondo State for their unity and support during the election. “I thank our party chieftains and stakeholders for standing firm and helping resolve disputes among aggrieved aspirants to ensure our victory,” he said.
Ondo APC Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, celebrated the win as a record-breaking achievement. “Our victory broke the record. No governor in the present democratic dispensation has ever won 18-0. This demonstrates that our party is deeply loved in Ondo State,” he said, adding that the result has effectively sealed the political fate of the opposition PDP in the state.
