Rotimi Ogunleye, Director General of the Olusola Oke Campaign, has alleged that INEC officers affiliated with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa compromised the fairness of the APC primary in Ondo State. Ogunleye voiced his concerns during a stakeholders' meeting, but these objections about the officers' impartiality were reportedly dismissed by Senator Omo Ovie Agege. Ogunleye described the primary as meticulously designed to fail, citing instances of thuggery disrupting the voting process.
Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State, chairing the election committee, declared Aiyedatiwa the winner by a significant margin, securing victory in 16 out of 18 local government areas with 48,569 votes. This outcome raised eyebrows among rival aspirants, especially Mayowa Akinfolarin, who garnered 15,347 votes, while Olusola Oke trailed in third place with 14,865 votes. Despite Aiyedatiwa's clear win, allegations of foul play cast doubts on the legitimacy of the primary results.
Ogunleye's complaint revolves around the perceived bias of INEC officers allegedly supporting Aiyedatiwa's candidacy, highlighting broader concerns about the independence and neutrality of electoral bodies essential for ensuring free and fair elections. Ogunleye emphasized instances of thuggery disrupting polling units, claiming that the process was orchestrated to fail from the outset.
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