Mimiko gets a second term as Ondo governor

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the incumbent Ondo State governor and candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Olusegun Mimiko as winner of Saturday’s governorship election.

The returning officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Adebiyi Daramola announced that the three major contenders for the top seat at the Alagbaka Government House – Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), LP and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) shared over 86 percent of the total number of 645, 597 accredited votes.

While the ACN’s candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu polled a total of 143,512 from the 18 local government area of Ondo State, the PDP’s candidate, Olusola Oke polled 155,961 and the winner, Mr Mimiko of the Labour Party got 260,199 of the total valid votes.

According to the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ondo, Akin Orebiyi,the total number of registered voters in the State is 1,638,950; and the number of accredited voters is 645,597.

A total of 30,415 votes were declared invalid while the valid votes are 594,244.

With his victory, Mr Mimiko broke the jinx of the inability of his elected predecessors including Michael Ajasin, Adebayo Adefarati, Bamidele Olumilua and Olusegun Agagu to get a second term to rule the sunshine state.

Though Mr Agagu got a second term, his reign was however truncated as he was removed by the election tribunal and the Court of Appeal, which declared Mr Mimiko the winner of the 2007 governorship election.

Basking in the euphoria of his re-election as the governor-elect of Ondo state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko declared that he intends to continue the infrastructural development of the state as well as providing employment for the teeming youths.

Speaking on our flagship News at Ten, the governor-elect squashed the claims by opposition parties, adding that a visit to the state would convince doubters.

Meanwhile opposition party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said it is studying the results of the Ondo governorship election and will take a final position in due course.

While the national body of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) congratulated Dr Mimiko for his victory, the party’s candidate in the election, Mr. Olusola Oke refused to accept the result of the election, calling the election a “mere charade”.

He alleged that elections did not take place in some of his strongholds and that security operatives were not deployed to the rural areas, thereby disallowing people to come out and vote due to fears of insecurity.

Below is a summary of the election results collated for the 18 local government area of Ondo State.