Agboola Ajayi, the candidate from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State, has formally submitted a petition to the Ondo State Election Petition Tribunal.
Gatekeepers News reports that his petition challenges the election outcome that declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that Aiyedatiwa secured 366,781 votes, while Ajayi received 117,845 votes.
In an interview at the Ondo State secretariat, Ajayi confirmed that his legal team has filed this petition in pursuit of judicial resolution, though he opted not to disclose the specific grounds for the petition at this time.
Ajayi has expressed his dissatisfaction with the election results, characterizing them as a “miscarriage of democracy” and alleging instances of vote buying and intimidation during the electoral process. He emphasised that the election outcome does not accurately reflect the wishes of the electorate and the people of Ondo State.
Also, Ajayi urged the National Assembly to consider amending the Electoral Act, highlighting concerns regarding the manipulation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System. He expressed confidence in the tribunal’s ability to adjudicate the case fairly and underscored the importance of electing leaders through a transparent and equitable electoral process.
This legal action follows a previous dismissal by the Federal High Court in Akure of Ajayi’s suit questioning the qualifications of Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, which the court attributed to procedural errors and a lack of standing.
