The independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ogun state has declared the incumbent governor, Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the winner of the 2023 gubernatorial election in the state.
The State Returning Officer, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, made the announcement at the state collation centre of INEC in Abeokuta, the state capital, Sunday.
Abiodun was declared the winner after winning 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) while his closest rival, Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in eight local government areas.
Abiodun defeated Adebutu with a slim margin of 13,915 votes.
Abiodun polled 276,298 out of the 663,968 total votes cast while Adebutu scored 262,383.
The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Biyi Otegbeye, garnered 94,754 votes and the candidate of NNPP, Olufemi Ajadi scored 1,394 votes.
Declaring Abiodun the winner of the election, the state returning officer said, “That Abiodun Adedapo Oluwaseun, having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declare the winner and is returned elected”.
Meanwhile, in a petition filed by it’s agent, Sunkanmi Oyejide, during the collation exercise, PDP called for a cancellation and re-run of polling units where elections were cancelled due to electoral infractions.
The party accused the APC of using thugs to disrupt elections in some polling units in the state, claiming that, the total number of cancelled votes were higher than the lead of margin.
“You will recall that the Commission is aware of the level of thuggery planned and orchestrated by the All Progressive Congress to unleash mayhem in some polling units across the state to destabilise innocent voters from freely exercising their voting rights as a result of planned and well executed action.
“We are aware that the principle of margin of lead as established by the Commission in Section 24(3) is in effect, affected by the inability of the population greater than the reflected lead between the assumed winner of the election and the runner-up. Therefore, a re-run in appropriate to address this injustice.
“We therefore implore the Commission to evoke this principle and declare this election inconclusive”, the petition reads.
Below are the total results as presented by the state returning officer.
1. ODEDA LGA
Registered voters: 94,048
Accredited Voters: 23,975
APC: 11,089
PDP: 8,050
NNPP: 31
ADC: 3,651
Total valid votes: 23,349
Rejected votes: 626
Total votes cast: 23,975
2. EGBADO NORTH LGA
Registered voters: 130,063
Accredited Voters: 41,016
APC: 15,331
PDP: 11,627
NNPP: 64
ADC: 12,190
Total valid votes: 39,908
Rejected votes: 1,031
Total votes cast: 41,011
3. EGBADO SOUTH LG
Registered voters: 133,001
Accredited Voters: 34,213
APC: 15,047
PDP: 10,913
NNPP: 75
ADC: 6,435
Total valid votes: 33,064
Rejected votes: 1,149
Total votes cast: 34,213
4. EWEKORO LG
Registered voters: 94,681
Accredited Voters: 20,415
APC: 8,192
PDP: 7,449
NNPP: 60
ADC: 3,881
Total valid votes: 19,902
Rejected votes: 511
Total votes cast: 20,413
5. ABEOKUTA SOUTH LG
Registered voters: 242,151
Accredited Voters: 55,718
APC: 19,689
PDP: 24,175
NNPP: 99
ADC: 9,264
Total valid votes: 54,139
Rejected votes: 1,579
Total votes cast: 55,718
There were cancellation in two wards: ward 5 and ward 13.
6. IJEBU NORTH LG
Registered voters: 133,122
Accredited Voters: 38,340
APC: 18,815
PDP: 15,904
NNPP: 22
ADC: 2,393
Total valid votes: 37,478
Rejected votes: 848
Total votes cast: 38,326
7. IKENNE LG
Registered voters: 68,613
Accredited Voters: 23,564
APC: 9,125
PDP: 12,472
NNPP: 09
ADC: 336
Total valid votes: 22,069
Rejected votes: 392
Total votes cast: 22,461
10 polling units were cancelled due to violence and disruption of elections.
8. IJEBU NORTH-EAST LG
Registered voters: 52,457
Accredited Voters: 14,687
APC: 5,408
PDP: 7,086
NNPP: 27
ADC: 1,448
Total valid votes: 14,102
Rejected votes: 357
Total votes cast: 14,459
Ballot paper snatching at ward 6, unit 2. The result was cancelled.
9. IJEBU-ODE LG
Registered voters: 90,760
Accredited Voters: 25,730
APC: 12,907
PDP: 10,714
NNPP: 36
ADC: 1,348
Total valid votes: 25,257
Rejected votes: 473
Total votes cast: 25,730
Cancellation in RA 6, PU 3 due to violence.
10. ABEOKUTA NORTH
Registered voters: 167,753
Accredited Voters: 37,553
APC: 14,294
PDP: 12,622
NNPP: 34
ADC: 9,143
Total valid votes: 36,521
Rejected votes: 1,018
Total votes cast: 37,539
Three units in Ward 6 were cancelled due violence.
11. IJEBU EAST LG
Registered voters: 77,171
Accredited Voters: 21,896
APC: 7,883
PDP: 11,242
NNPP: 45
ADC: 1,885
Total valid votes: 21,352
Rejected votes: 542
Total votes cast: 21,894
There was cancellation in unit 6, ward 9 due to violence.
12. REMO NORTH LG
Registered voters: 48,886
Accredited Voters: 13,187
APC: 4,306
PDP: 8,177
NNPP: 06
ADC: 327
Total valid votes: 129,39
Rejected votes: 248
Total votes cast: 13,187
Cancellation in four wards in seven polling units due BVAS malfunction and violence.
13. IPOKIA LG
Registered voters: 136,281
Accredited Voters: 45,035
APC: 21,338
PDP: 19,189
NNPP: 46
ADC: 1,897
Total valid votes: 43,703
Rejected votes: 1,328
Total votes cast: 45,031
Cancellation of one polling unit.
14. ODOGBOLU LG
Registered voters: 95,530
Accredited Voters: 24,041
APC: 9,143
PDP: 12,963
NNPP: 10
ADC: 1,281
Total valid votes: 23,608
Rejected votes: 429
Total votes cast: 24,037
There cancellations in 14 polling units due violence and refusal to use BVAS.
15. OGUN WATERSIDE LG
Registered voters: 52,359
Accredited Voters: 17,345
APC: 5,878
PDP: 7,716
NNPP: 56
ADC: 2,575
Total valid votes: 16,888
Rejected votes: 456
Total votes cast: 17,344
Cancellation in two wards due to violence and destruction of sensitive, non materials and difficult terrain due to hyacinth.
16. IMEKO AFON LG
Registered voters: 70,223
Accredited Voters: 23,708
APC: 9,591
PDP: 6,981
NNPP: 93
ADC: 6,124
Total valid votes: 23,050
Rejected votes: 658
Total votes cast: 23,708
17. ADO-ODO OTA LG
Registered voters: 390,175
Accredited voters: 86,304
APC: 39,006
PDP: 31,022
NNPP: 194
ADC: 12,174
Total valid votes: 83,616
Rejected votes: 2,688
Total votes cast: 86,304
Cancellation in two units due to violence.
18. OBAFEMI OWODE LG
Registered voters: 179,696
Accredited Voters: 33,492
APC: 15,466
PDP: 11,004
NNPP: 275
ADC: 5,105
Total valid votes: 32,472
Rejected votes: 1,020
Total votes cast: 33,492
Cancellation in one polling unit due to over voting.
19. IFO LG
Registered voters: 261,988
Accredited Voters: 51,482
APC: 20,653
PDP: 16,052
NNPP: 154
ADC: 11,040
Total valid votes: 48,804
Rejected votes: 2,678
Total votes cast: 51,482
Cancellation of five units due to over voting and disruption of voting activities.
20. SAGAMU LG
Registered voters: 169,347
Accredited Voters: 34,705
APC: 13,128
PDP: 17,025
NNPP: 58
ADC: 2,257
Total valid votes: 32,840
Rejected votes: 804
Total votes cast: 33,644
Cancellation in several units.