President Bola Tinubu
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has declared that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, targets at least one million votes to return President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
He declared that the state had become fully aligned with the APC, Governor Aiyedatiwa said the party is now targeting one million votes for President Tinubu in the next presidential election.
He spoke while announcing the results of the party’s presidential primary held at the weekend, and swept by the president after polling 181,966 votes across the state’s 18 councils.
Aiyedatiwa commended party leaders for mobilising members across the state to participate in the exercise and also appreciated APC members for turning out in large numbers despite widespread expectations that the President’s victory was already assured.
The governor, who served as the Collation and Returning Officer for the exercise, announced the result at The Dome, Akure, after collating submissions from local government collation officers.
Speaking after the exercise, he described the APC presidential primary as one of the most successful exercises ever conducted in Ondo State, noting that party members demonstrated unity and loyalty by unanimously supporting President Tinubu during the exercise.
He stated that although two aspirants contested for the APC presidential ticket, the second contestant, Mr Osifu Osayeme Stanley, failed to secure a single vote, while President Tinubu won all the votes cast in the state.
According to him, all party members who participated in the primary voted for the president.
Aiyedatiwa stated that the outcome reflected Ondo State’s longstanding support for the APC, recalling that the state recorded the highest percentage of votes for the party during the last presidential election.
The governor added that the percentage of registered APC members who participated in the primary was estimated at between 92 and 93 per cent, expressing optimism that the turnout and support would be replicated during the general election.
He further stated that more residents were still joining the APC in the state, assuring that the party would record higher votes for President Tinubu in the forthcoming presidential election.
Aiyedatiwa disclosed that the state had 193,334 registered voters, while 181,996 party members were accredited for the exercise. He added that a total of 181,996 votes were cast during the primary election.
According to him, Tinubu secured 12,048 votes in Akoko North-East Local Government Area, 10,388 votes in Akoko North-West, 6,005 votes in Akoko South-East and 9,485 votes in Akoko South-West.
The president also polled 6,834 votes in Ose Local Government Area and 13,313 votes in Owo Local Government Area, while he garnered 10,898 votes in Akure North and 15,864 votes in Akure South local government areas.
The result further showed that Tinubu secured 5,059 votes in Ondo East Local Government Area and 14,333 votes in Ondo West. He also polled 8,797 votes in Idanre, 7,939 votes in Ifedore and 7,299 votes in Ileoluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area.
In the remaining local government areas, Tinubu recorded 12,257 votes in Odigbo, 9,610 votes in Irele, 9,512 votes in Okitipupa, 7,036 votes in Ese Odo and 15,320 votes in Ilaje Local Government Area.
Aiyedatiwa further announced that Mr Stanley Osifo scored zero votes across the 18 local government areas of the state.
In his welcome address, Ondo State APC Chairman, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole, described the presidential primary as one of the most credible and violence-free exercises in the history of the party and the state.
Kolawole commended Governor Aiyedatiwa and party members for what he described as their commitment to a peaceful process.
He thanked the governor and members of the party for their support to the leadership of the APC during the conduct of the various primaries for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and presidential elections.
According to him, the outcome of previous primaries had shown that party members were united behind candidates produced by the party.
Kolawole urged aspirants who did not secure tickets not to lose hope, saying, “Today may not be your time but certainly tomorrow will be great.”
In his goodwill message, former governor of the State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, commended Governor Aiyedatiwa and other governors supporting the president, saying many fundamental issues confronting the country cannot be addressed without the support of state governors.
According to him, the support being enjoyed by the president from governors across the country amount to an elite consensus that would produce positive outcomes for Nigeria.
Mimiko also expressed delight that Ondo State currently has three substantive ministers serving in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, thanking the president for such recognition for the state.
Those in attendance included the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji; member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abiola Makinde; party chieftains, Chief Olusola Oke and Chief Jamiu Ekungba;
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Russia, Sola Iji; State Coordinator of Renewed Hope Agenda, Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan; Director of Corporate Services, NDDC, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, among many others.
