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It was a landslide victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary as he polled 181,966 votes on Saturday in Ondo State.
The 181,966 was the total votes polled from the 18 local government areas of the state.
President Tinubu recorded the grand victory as a result of concerted efforts of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, former governor of the state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Chief Olusola Oke, Chief Isaacs Kekemeke and other chieftains of the party across the 203 wards in the state.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, who served as the Collation and Returning Officer for the exercise, announced the result at The Dome, Akure, after collating submissions from local government collation officers.
He disclosed that the state had 193,334 registered voters, while 181,996 party members were accredited for the exercise.
According to him, a total of 181,996 votes were cast during the primary election.
Governor Aiyedatiwa announced that President Tinubu polled 12,048 votes in Akoko North-East Local Government Area, 10,388 votes in Akoko North-West, 6,005 votes in Akoko South-East and 9,485 votes in Akoko South-West.
He Also polled 6,834 votes in Ose Local Government Area and 13,313 votes in Owo Local Government Area, while he garnered 10,898 votes in Akure North and 15,864 votes in Akure South local government areas.
President Tinubu secured 5,059 votes in Ondo East Local Government Area and 14,333 votes in Ondo West. He also polled 8,797 votes in Idanre, 7,939 votes in Ifedore and 7,299 votes in Ileoluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area.
The President recorded 12,257 votes in Odigbo, 9,610 votes in Irele, 9,512 votes in Okitipupa, 7,036 votes in Ese Odo and 15,320 votes in Ilaje Local Government Area.
The Returning officer further announced that Mr. Stanley Osifo, the other contestant in the presidential primary, scored zero votes across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State.
Speaking with journalists after the exercise, Governor Aiyedatiwa described the APC presidential primary as one of the most successful exercises ever conducted in Ondo State.
He said party members demonstrated unity and loyalty as they unanimously supported President Tinubu during the exercise.
Aiyedatiwa noted that lthough two aspirants contested for the APC presidential ticket, the second contestant, Mr Osifu Osayeme Stanley, failed to secure a single vote, while President Tinubu won all the votes cast in the state.
According to him, all party members who participated in the primary voted for the president.
He emphasised that the outcome of the exercise reflected Ondo State’s longstanding support for the APC, recalling that the state recorded the highest percentage of votes for the party during the last presidential election.
Aiyedatiwa noted that the percentage of registered APC members who participated in the primary was estimated at between 92 and 93 per cent, expressing optimism that the turnout and support would be replicated during the general election.
He further stated that more residents were still joining the APC in the state, assuring that the party would record higher votes for President Tinubu in the forthcoming presidential election.
Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, a former governor of the state, commended Governor Aiyedatiwa and other governors supporting the president, insisting that many fundamental issues confronting the country cannot be addressed without the support of state governors.
He said the support being enjoyed by the president from governors across the country amount to an elite consensus that would produce positive outcomes for Nigeria.
Dr. Mimiko is also delighted in the fact that Ondo State currently has three substantive ministers serving in the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government, appreciating the president for such recognition for the state.
In his address, the State Chairman of APC, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole, described the presidential primary as one of the most credible and violence-free exercises in the history of the party and the state.
He commended Governor Aiyedatiwa and party members for what he described as their commitment to a peaceful process.
Kolàeole appreciated Governor Aiyedatiwa and party members for their support to the leadership of the APC during the conduct of the various primaries for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and presidential elections.
According to him, the outcome of previous primaries had shown that party members were united behind candidates produced by the party.
Present at the collation centre are the state Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji; member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abiola Makinde; party chieftains, Chief Olusola Oke and Chief Jamiu Ekungba; Nigeria’s Ambassador to Russia, Sola Iji; State Coordinator of Renewed Hope Agenda, Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan; Director of Corporate Services, NDDC, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, among many others.
