The Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun state, Dapo Abiodun has been declared the winner of the Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The State Returning Officer, Prof. Kayode Adebowale made the announcement at the state collation centre of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Adebowale who was flanked by the state Residence Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC, Niyi Ijalaye declared Abiodun the winner of the election after the collation of results from all the 20 Local government areas of the state.
Abiodun was declared the winner after winning 12 Local government areas, while his closest rival, Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in eight local government areas.
Abiodun defeated Adebutu with 13,915 votes.
Abiodun polled 276,298 out of the 663,968 total votes cast. Adebutu scored 262,383, while the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Biyi Otegbeye garnered 94,754 votes and the candidate of NNPP, Olufemi Ajadi scored 1,394 votes.
Declaring Abiodun the winner of the election that, the state Returning officer said, “That Abiodun Adedapo Oluwaseun, having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declare d winner and is returned elected”.
The PDP, has however called for re-run election in polling units where elections were cancelled.
The party submitted a petition to INEC through its state collation agent, Sunkanmi Olajide.
The party accused the APC of using thugs to disrupt elections in some polling units in the state, claiming that, the total number of cancelled votes was higher than the lead of margin.
The party said, “You will recall that the Commission is aware of the level of thuggery planned and orchestrated by the All Progressive Congress to unleash mayhem in some polling units across the state to destabilise innocent voters from freely exercising their voting rights as a result of planned and well executed action.
“We are aware that the principle of margin of lead as established by the Commission in Section 24(3) is in effect, affected by the inability of the population greater than the reflected lead between the assumed winner of the election and the runner-up. Therefore, a re-run in appropriate to address this injustice.
“We therefore implore the Commission to evoke this principle and declare this election inconclusive.”
But, reacting to the demand of the party, the state collation officer said, the claim of the party was at variant with the record of results collated.
He called on the party to seek redress in court.