• PDP Accuses APC, INEC of Manipulation and Vote Buying
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed strong disapproval of the outcome of the 2024 Ondo State governorship election, labeling it as the “worst election ever conducted” by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
INEC had on Sunday declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election. Aiyedatiwa secured 366,781 votes, defeating the PDP candidate, Agboola Ajayi, who polled 117,845 votes, while Adeyemi Nejo of the African Democratic Party (ADP) came third with 4,138 votes.
Reacting to the result, the PDP accused the APC and INEC of orchestrating widespread irregularities that undermined the credibility of the election. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, described the exercise as a showcase of “electoral swindle, deceit, and manipulation.”
In a statement issued after the polls, Ologunagba stated: “The Ondo State governorship election fell short of all expectations and the standards of a free, fair, and credible election. It witnessed the height of electoral malpractice, including rampant vote buying, monetization, and suppression of voters by the APC and its government apparatus.”
He further accused the ruling party of weaponizing poverty to manipulate the election outcome. “This devious practice by the APC was pervasive because they have impoverished Nigerians and turned poverty into a weapon of mass subjugation, enabling them to manipulate the election and its outcome,” he added.
The PDP also called on Nigerians and the international community to take urgent action against what it termed “reprehensible practices” that threaten the survival of democracy in the country. “We call the attention of all Nigerians and the international community to these practices as widely witnessed during the November 16, 2024 governorship election in Ondo State. If Nigeria’s democracy must survive, serious action must be taken to address this,” Ologunagba stated.
The party revealed that its National Working Committee (NWC) would conduct a detailed review of the election and its outcome. “The NWC will be having a more comprehensive analysis of the election and its aftermath. We are prepared to take appropriate action in defense of our democracy,” the statement concluded.
The PDP’s position underscores growing concerns over the conduct of elections in Nigeria and the challenges of ensuring free and fair democratic processes in the country.
