Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has reaffirmed his commitment to delivering more developmental strides across the state following his re-election in the recently concluded gubernatorial poll.
Speaking at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, where he and his deputy, Dr. Olayide Adelami, received their certificates of return, Governor Aiyedatiwa expressed gratitude to the people of Ondo State for their overwhelming support.
“I cannot but express my overwhelming gratitude to the people of Ondo state who came out en masse on the 16th of November, 2024, to cast their votes for our party, the APC, and by extension, for myself and my deputy in that governorship election,” Aiyedatiwa stated.
He added, “The mandate you have just renewed via your huge votes across the 18 local governments of Ondo state, where we won convincingly, has placed a burden on me to serve you better than I have done in the last ten months.”
The Governor praised INEC for conducting a peaceful and credible election, describing it as one of the most transparent in Nigeria’s history. He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for ensuring a level playing field for all candidates.
“I must thank the leader of our party, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his unbiased approach during the election. He did not favour one candidate over another, regardless of party affiliation, thereby providing a level playing ground for all of us,” he noted.
Governor Aiyedatiwa further lauded the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, for his leadership and unwavering support for the party’s success in Ondo State.
In his remarks, the Supervising National Commissioner of INEC for Ondo, Ogun, and Osun states, Professor Kunle Ajayi, commended the people of Ondo State for their peaceful conduct during the polls.
Representing INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Ajayi described the election as a reflection of the people’s will.
“This celebration marks the culmination of a democratic process that reflects the will and aspiration of the good people of Ondo state. The voters’ attitude was generally impressive, and there was no major incident of electoral violence recorded,” Ajayi said.
Ajayi also reiterated INEC’s commitment to conducting credible, inclusive, and conclusive elections, stating that the Ondo election was a testament to those values.
The Governor and his entourage later visited the APC National Secretariat, where he expressed appreciation to the party’s National Working Committee for their support in ensuring victory.
