Some early results of the Ondo State governorship poll analysed by Sunday PUNCH have revealed that the incumbent governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, is in early lead in the race.
TheCable reported that Akeredolu is leading his opponents with over 84,011 votes in 12 local government areas.
The local governments are: Ile Oluji, Akoko North-East, Akoko South-West, Akoko South-East, Akoko North-West, Irele, Ose, Ifedore, Owo, Okitipupa, Akure North-West, and Idanre.
According to the results that the Independent National Electoral Commission has declared at the collation centres of the 12 LGAs, Akeredolu polled 189,489 votes as of the time of filing this report.
However, further analysis also showed that the two other major contenders-Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party and Agboola Ajayi of the Zenith Labour Party-were clearly dominating in their strongholds in the October 10 governorship election.
Jegede is trailing the incumbent with 108,195 votes, leaving a margin of 74,735. Ajayi of the ZLP came a distant third with 37,806 votes.
Akeredolu, who hails from the Ondo North Senatorial District, appears to be leading in most of the polling units and a number of local government areas.
The LGAs in the Ondo North are: Akoko North-East, Akoko North-West, Akoko South-West, Akoko South-East, Owo and Ose.
Jegede, is also leading in a number of the LGAs and polling units in the Ondo Central Senatorial District where he hails from.
The LGAs in the Ondo Central are: Akure South, Akure North, Ifedore, Idanre, Ondo West and Ondo East.
Results from Ward 1, Epinmi; Ward 2, Epinmi 2; and Ward 3, Ifira, showed that the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, led in the three wards with 2,883 votes.
The PDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, polled 1,304 votes in the three wards, while the Zenith Labour Party candidate came a distant third with 378 votes.
The breakdown showed that in Ward 1, the APC had 607 votes while the PDP had 404 votes. The ZLP came a distant third with 72 votes.
Meanwhile, in Ward 2, the APC got a total of 546 votes while the PDP had 417 votes. The ZLP got 84 votes.
In the third ward, Ifira, the APC got 1,730 votes while the PDP had 483 votes and the ZLP, 222 votes.
A further breakdown of the wards showed that in Ward 1, which has eight polling units, the APC won all the polling units except two-namely Polling Unit 2 and 3. In Unit 2, the PDP got 41 votes while the APC got 32 votes. Also, in Unit 6, the PDP got 58 votes while the APC got 57.
Meanwhile, in Ward 2, the APC got a total of 546 votes while the PDP had 417 votes. The ZLP got 84 votes.
In the third ward, Ifira, the APC got 1,730 votes while the PDP had 483 votes and the ZLP, 222 votes.
A further breakdown of the wards showed that in Ward 1, which has eight polling units, the APC won all the polling units except two-namely Polling Unit 2 and 3. In Unit 2, the PDP got 41 votes while the APC got 32 votes. Also, in Unit 6, the PDP got 58 votes while the APC got 57.
In Ward 3, Ifira, the APC led in all the six units.
In Ondo-West LGA, results from 11 out of the 12 wards had been collated as of 9:25 pm on Saturday. None had been recorded for Litaye/Iparaku/Lijoka Ward on the results portal of INEC.
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Out of the 16 Polling Units in Enuowa/Obalalu Ward, the results of St James Grammar School, Agunbiade Area 2 were cancelled.
In a piece of paper signed by Ajimobi Kareem A. (RATECH) and the Collation Officer, Dr D. O. Fadodun, it was declared that, “The result of 28/06/01/013 was council (sic) due to over voting. Thanks.”
From the remaining 15 units in Enuowa/Obalalu Ward, APC scored 970; PDP, 915; and ZLP, 865.
In Gbaghengha/Gbogbo/Ajagba Alaafia Ward where there are 32 units, APC polled 1,592; PDP, 1,142; and ZLP, 728.
Akeredolu cleared 12 out of the 13 wards in the Okitipupa Local Government Area in the Southern Senatorial District of the state.
The Deputy Governor and Zenith Labour Party candidate, Agboola Ajayi, won the remaining one ward while the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, didn’t win any.
In all, while APC had 19,266 votes, PDP got 10, 367 and ZLP secured 10,120. The breakdown showed that in Ward 1, Ayeka/Igbodigo APC polled 1,531, PDP scored 704 and ZLP got 1,215. For Ward 2, Erinje, APC polled 1,376, PDP got 770 and ZLP 756.In Ward 3, Igbotako I, APC (1,317), PDP (471) and ZLP (553) while in Ward 4, Igbotako II, APC had 1,469, PDP polled 568 and ZLP scored 395. In Ward 5, Ijuodo/Erekiti, APC (1,569), PDP (506) and ZLP (290).
In Ward 6, Ikoya/Oloto, APC (1,534), PDP (776) and ZLP (555). In Ward 7, Ilutitun I, APC (1,189), PDP (849) and ZLP – 231. In Ward 8, Ilutitun II, APC (1,106), PDP (1,020) and ZLP (322). In Ward 9, Ilutitun III, APC (1,408), PDP (1,222) and ZLP (410).
In Ward 10, Ode Aye I, APC (1,851), PDP (990) and ZLP (988). In Ward 11, Ode Aye II, APC (1,154), PDP (864) and ZLP (629). In Ward 12, Okitipupa I, APC (1,634), PDP (739) and ZLP (1,866). For Ward 13, Okitipupa II, APC had 2,128, PDP got 888 and ZLP 1,910.
Also in the Ondo South Local Government Area located within Akure metropolis, where Jegede is from, the results obtained from five units in the LG showed that the PDP candidate garnered 1, 326, while the APC and ZLP polled 483 votes and 61 votes respectively.
In Akure North, results from two units in Oba Ile in the council area indicated that Jegede got 335 and APC and ZLP candidates had 206 and 35 respectively.
In Owo Local Government Area, where Akeredolu hails from, results from three units in Owo Ward 1 indicated that he got a total of 1,052 votes, while his counterparts in the PDP and ZLP got 51 votes and 6 votes respectively.
Jegede polled 855 votes to defeat Akeredolu who polled 733 votes in Ero/Ibuji/Mariwo ward in the Ifedore Local Government Area of the state.
These figures were contained in the official results posted on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s election result portal on Saturday.
Ifedore has 151 polling units spread across 10 electoral wards which make up the local government.
According to the results, the race between the two front runners in the unit was close in many instances. However, the APC and the PDP candidates were tied with 71 votes apiece in polling unit 007, Dispensary Ibuji 1. Ajayi came a distant third with a total of 76 votes. The unit by unit upload of the results was still being accessed as at the time of filing this report.
However, Ajayi was leading in his major stronghold — the Ese Odo Local Government Area of the state on Saturday.
In the results from the wards in the local government, obtained from the INEC portal, out of the three wards available at the time of filing this report, Ajayi was leading Akeredolu by over 500 votes. In the available three wards, Ajayi scored a total of 3,292 votes, while Akeredolu polled 2,754 and Jegede had 675 votes.
70% Ondo poll results uploaded on INEC portal’
INEC has said results in the governorship election will be in “hopefully” by Sunday afternoon.
The INEC National Commissioner, Prof Anthonia Simbine, made this known during a television programme in Akure, the state capital, on Saturday evening.
Simbine said about 70 per cent of the results from all polling units in the state had been uploaded on the INEC results viewing portal.
She, however, stated that the commission was mindful of the fact that the state was riverine in nature and results from some areas in the state would come in late.
The PUNCH
