Kehinde Fajobi
The Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Ondo State, Ayodele Olorunfemi, has criticised former Anambra State governor Peter Obi and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for his defeat in Saturday’s election.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged victorious, sweeping all 18 local government areas and securing 366,781 votes.
Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) trailed with 117,845 votes.
Declaring the results, State Returning Officer Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi said, “Ayedatiwa Lucky Orimisan of APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby returned elected.”
Olorunfemi, reinstated as the LP candidate days before the election following a Court of Appeal ruling, expressed bitterness over his loss, accusing Obi and the NLC of undermining his campaign.
“They have scuttled my aspirations and chances to win this Ondo election,” he told The PUNCH.
“These people spoilt things for us with that PDP reject they wanted to force on the party. Their insistence on having Ebiseni on the ballot ruined everything for me.”
Olorunfemi accused Olusola Ebiseni, Obi’s preferred candidate, of submitting a withdrawal letter in his name without consent.
He stated, “Ebiseni wrote a letter to the court in my name without my knowledge, saying I have withdrawn from the race. What they did is criminal.”
Olorunfemi vowed to petition the Inspector General of Police to investigate the alleged forgery.
“Thank God we got an appeal judgment and my name is back in the INEC portal. But I will ensure the police probe how they forged my name and signature,” he added.
In response, acting Chairman of the NLC Political Commission, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, dismissed Olorunfemi’s claims, calling him a “funny character.”
He alleged Olorunfemi sought financial gains from the party ticket.
“Olorunfemi started shopping for who would buy the ticket from him. Ebiseni paid N20 million, plus another N5 million for expenses. When they refused to give him the ticket, Ebiseni went to court,” Ndubuaku claimed.
The NLC further accused Olorunfemi of indirectly aiding the APC.
“We know he would have uploaded the names of suspected APC agents as party agents,” Ndubuaku said.
The Ondo governorship election and its aftermath have highlighted deep divisions within the Labour Party, raising questions about its internal unity and future political strategy.