The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, winner of the Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State.

The Returning Officer, Prof Olayemi Akinwunmi, declared Aiyedatiwa winner at state collation centre, INEC Ondo headquarters, Alagbaka, Akure.

Akinwunmi, who’s the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja, Kogi State, declared and returned the APC candidate elected at exactly 2:29pm

According to him, Aiyedatiwa polled 366,781 votes to defeat his major rival and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Agboola Ajayi, who came distant second with 117,845 votes, while African Democratic Party’s Adeyemi Nejo came third with 4,138.

“That Aiyedatiwa Lucky Orimisan of the APC, having satisfied all the requirements of law and scored majority of the lawful votes, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Akinwunmi, a professor of African history, declared.

Daily Trust reports that the incumbent governor won all the 18 councils in the state to clinch a landslide victory in the election.

Our correspondent reports that the election defined by vote – buying and low turn out of voters was largely peaceful across the state.

Aiyedatiwa, who was late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s deputy, succeeded the deceased in December, 2023.

He has now been elected to serve a term of four years as Ondo State governor.