The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Olayide Adelami, have commended the smooth process of the ongoing local government election in the state.
The council poll is ongoing across the 18 local government areas of the state today while no fewer than 12 political parties are participating in the poll holding across the 203 wards in the state.
Speaking on the last-minute withdrawal of the People’s Democratic Party from the council election, Aiyedatiwa described the withdrawal as an act of ‘cowardice’.
The governor said, “For the PDP to pull out, that is cowardness. They participated in the whole process, the ODIEC released the timetable for the election. I don’t know the reason for that. Maybe the fear of losing, every election has its own logistics and other political parties are participating whatever reason that made them withdraw, I am not privy to that.”
Aiyedatiwa, who voted at polling Unit 5, Ugbo Ward 4, in Ilaje Local Government described the election as a step towards enhancing grassroots development.
The governor reiterated the commitment of his administration to the effective running of the local government system in the state in line with the provisions of the law.
He said, “I just cast my vote without any crisis. This is just what happened on the November 16 (2024) election, which was adjudged to be free and fair.
“The materials arrived early, and the security and the citizens are here they are participating, and at the end of the day, just as we have in the last governorship election, we don’t expect anything else.”
Similarly, the state deputy governor, Adelami, who exercised his franchise at Unit 16 Igboroko 2, Ward 3 Owo Local Government at about 9:45 am, expressed satisfaction at the turnout of voters and urged others still at home to come out to perform their civic duties.
He said, “It is important to vote in this election to enable us to deepen delivery of good governance at the grassroots level because it is the tier of government that is closest to the people.”
