The Ondo Primary Election Appeal Committee has declared that it found no substance in the various petitions challenging the victory of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa in the April 20 governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State.
As reported by PUNCH, The Chairman of the Committee, former Bauchi Governor Mohammed Abubakar, submitted the committee's report to the APC National Working Committee in Abuja.
He confirmed that the appeal committee received six petitions from aggrieved aspirants following the declaration of the results.
Abubakar emphasized that many of the petitions lacked documentary or electronic evidence to support the allegations of irregularities and manipulated results.
“We asked them for documentary or electronic evidence in line with the dictates of the times, and the best we were able to receive was a compendium of how some alleged members of the party were sponsored by one of the aspirants," Abubakar stated.
The committee thoroughly reviewed the evidence provided and concluded that the petitions did not substantiate the claims made. The report was then submitted to the APC National Working Committee.
APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje expressed his appreciation for the committee's efforts and declared that the ruling party was prepared to retain its seat in the upcoming November 16 governorship election.
“We are battle-ready for the election in November. Our candidate is a candidate that will ensure continuity in the development of Ondo State," Ganduje said.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, addressing journalists after receiving his certificate of return, confidently stated that the ruling APC remained the party to beat in Ondo State.
He dismissed the threat posed by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ajayi Agboola, who had served as the deputy to the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu until 2020.
"I can simply tell you that there is no opposition that is so formidable to upstage us in Ondo state anymore. The PDP that we see as the opposition is currently weakened because most of their strong or political stalwarts have defected and joined us in the APC," Aiyedatiwa asserted.
He also highlighted the familiarity between himself and Agboola, as they are from the same federal constituency, and expressed confidence in the preference of the people for the APC.
“In fact, we are from the same federal constituency. We know what our people want and we know who they prefer. The APC is a preferred party right now in Ondo state and the signs are there," Aiyedatiwa added.