The Ondo State 2024 Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has received five petitions challenging the declaration of Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the November election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had, on November 17, declared Aiyedatiwa the winner of the election, having polled a total of 366,781 to defeat his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 117,846 votes.
APC and its candidate won in all 18 local government areas of the state.
Other respondents in the petitions are: APC, Aiyedatiwa and his running mate, Mr Olayide Adelami
The five petitions challenging Aiyedatiwa’s victory were filed by Action Alliance and its candidate, Mr Abdullahi Olowokere, as well as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Chief Bamidele Akingboye.
Others are: PDP and its candidate, Mr Agboola Ajayi, a former deputy governor of the state; Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and its candidate, Kolawole Ogunfeyimi, and African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its candidate, Mr Adeyemi Nejo.
The petitioners are all seeking that the election held by INEC in the state on November 16 should be declared invalid on the grounds of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
Secretary of the tribunal, Mrs Nancy Zakayo, told NAN in an interview on Thursday that the petitions were filed on December 7 and December 8.
Zakayo said the provisions of the Electoral Act required that the petitions be served on the respondents, who, after receipt of it, are to file their defence within the time frame provided.
She said in line with the provisions of the act, hearing of the petitions would not commence earlier than late January when parties must have exchanged all their processes. (NAN)