Ayodele Olorunfemi, the reinstated Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Ondo State, has attributed his failure to win the state’s governorship election on Saturday to the actions of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Olorunfemi’s comments come after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election. Aiyedatiwa secured victory by sweeping all 18 local government areas in the state. According to the final result declared by the State Returning Officer, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, Aiyedatiwa garnered 366,781 votes, defeating his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who secured 117,845 votes.

In a brief statement, Akinwumi declared: “That Ayedatiwa Lucky Orimisan of APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby returned elected.”

Court Ruling and Campaign Disruption

Olorunfemi’s loss in the election came just days after the Court of Appeal in Abuja ruled in his favour, reinstating him as the Labour Party’s official candidate after INEC had initially removed him from the ballot. The court decision followed weeks of suspense, during which INEC had controversially accepted Olusola Ebiseni, a candidate endorsed by Peter Obi, as the LP flagbearer in Ondo.

After the Court of Appeal’s ruling, Olorunfemi was reinstated, but he now claims that the delay and the political maneuvering by Obi and the NLC severely undermined his campaign, contributing to his poor showing in the election.

In an interview with The PUNCH, Olorunfemi expressed his frustration, vowing not to forgive the former LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the NLC for what he described as deliberate actions that hindered his chances in the race.

Olorunfemi’s Grievance

“I cannot and will not forget what Obi and the NLC did to my campaign,” Olorunfemi said. “They caused unnecessary delays, which threw my campaign off balance and affected my momentum. By imposing their preferred candidate, they disrespected the democratic process and undermined the aspirations of many Ondo people who had hoped for change.”

He further claimed that the entire situation was orchestrated to benefit certain political interests, and that Obi’s influence had disrupted the unity and focus of the Labour Party in Ondo State.

While Olorunfemi’s grievances with Obi and the NLC appear to have become a key point of his post-election reflections, he also expressed disappointment at the overall outcome, citing the lack of sufficient political cohesion within the party as another factor that led to his defeat.

Aiyedatiwa’s Resounding Victory

Governor Aiyedatiwa’s landslide victory is seen as a reaffirmation of APC’s dominance in Ondo State. Despite the opposition’s efforts, including the court battles within the Labour Party, Aiyedatiwa’s party was able to maintain its stronghold across the state.

The Labour Party, which had hoped to challenge the dominance of the APC, was unable to make significant headway in the election, with the focus of its internal conflict and leadership wrangling contributing to a lack of effective campaigning.

As the dust settles after the November 16 election, Olorunfemi’s allegations against Obi and the NLC highlight the deeper divisions within the Labour Party and its inability to present a united front. The question now remains how the party will recover from the impact of these internal struggles, as it looks ahead to future elections.

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