Candidate of Labour Party (LP) in Ondo governorship election, Ayodele Olorunfemi has said Peter Obi and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) ruined his chances of winning.
Gatekeepers News reports that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Lucky Aiyedatiwa, incumbent governor of the state and candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the election.
Aiyedatiwa polled 366,781 votes in all 18 LGAs, defeating Agboola Ajayi, candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with 248,936 votes.
INEC had on the eve of the election, substituted Olusola Ebiseni with Olorunfemi.
Before this, Federal high court in Abuja on September 27, directed INEC to recognise Ebiseni as LP candidate.
The party appealed the ruling, and the court struck out the earlier judgment for lack of jurisdiction. The appellant said it had restored Olorunfemi’s name as LP candidate in line with the court judgment.
Obi however endorsed Ebiseni, saying he is someone who believes in a Nigeria rooted in fairness, equity, and justice.”
Addressing the press after the election, Olorunfemi said that Obi and NLC sabotaged his governorship bid.
The politician admitted that his last-minute campaign was poorly organised and ineffectual.
He said, “My campaign for the election was neither here nor there. I have Peter Obi and the NLC to thank for that. They have scuttled my aspirations and chances to win this Ondo election.”
“These people spoilt things for us with that PDP reject they wanted to force on the party. Their insistence on having Ebiseni on the ballot ruined everything for me.”
“They just capitalised on the crisis between the Labour Party and the Nigeria Labour Congress to create problems.”
“Can you imagine that Ebiseni wrote a letter to the court in my name without my knowledge, saying I have withdrawn from the race? They cannot exclude me from such a position.”
Olorunfemi said he knew his chances of winning were slim after his reinstatement, adding that he is determined to “get his pound of flesh.”
