President Bola Tinubu has secured a decisive victory in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election held across all 203 wards in Ondo State on Saturday, polling a total of 181,966 votes.
Primary Results Announced
The president's lone challenger, Stanley Osifo, failed to register a single vote in the exercise, according to official results announced by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who served as the collation and returning officer for the primary.
While declaring the results after collating submissions from local government collation officers at The Dome in Akure, the state capital, Aiyedatiwa disclosed that the state had 193,334 registered voters, while 181,996 party members were accredited for the exercise. Total votes cast matched the accreditation figure.
Breakdown by District
In the northern district, Tinubu polled 12,048 votes in Akoko North-East, 10,388 in Akoko North-West, 6,005 in Akoko South-East, 9,485 in Akoko South-West, 6,834 votes in Ose, and 13,313 in Owo.
The central district recorded 10,898 in Akure North, 15,864 in Akure South, 5,059 votes in Ondo East, 14,333 in Ondo West, 8,797 in Idanre, and 7,939 in Ifedore.
The southern district followed a similar pattern, with the president securing 7,299 votes in Ileoluji/Okeigbo, 12,257 votes in Odigbo, 9,610 in Irele, 9,512 in Okitipupa, 7,036 in Ese Odo, and 15,320 in Ilaje.
Governor Aiyedatiwa's Remarks
Aiyedatiwa described the exercise as one of the most successful primaries ever conducted in the state, noting that party members demonstrated unity and loyalty by unanimously supporting the president. He estimated that between 92 and 93 percent of registered APC members participated in the primary. The outcome reflects 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.
The governor further declared that the state had become fully aligned with the APC, revealing that the party is now targeting one million votes for President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. He expressed optimism that the record turnout and support would be replicated during the general election, adding that more residents were still joining the APC across the state.
APC Chairman's Comments
On his part, the APC Chairman in the state, Babatunde Kolawole, described the presidential primary as one of the most credible and violence-free exercises in the history of both the party and the state. Kolawole commended Aiyedatiwa and party members for their commitment to a peaceful process, noting that the outcome of previous primaries for House of Assembly, House of Representatives, and Senate positions had shown that party members remained united behind candidates produced by the party. He urged aspirants who did not secure tickets not to lose hope, saying, "Today may not be your time but certainly tomorrow will be great."
Former Governor Mimiko's Praise
Former Governor of the State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, hailed Aiyedatiwa and other governors supporting the president, stating that many fundamental issues confronting the country cannot be addressed without the support of state governors. Mimiko described the backing enjoyed by the president from governors across the country as an elite consensus that would produce positive outcomes for Nigeria. The former governor also expressed delight that Ondo State currently has three substantive ministers serving in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, thanking the president for such recognition for the state.
