By Ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State, Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima, along with All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, and other party leaders, will lead a mega rally today in support of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s re-election bid. According to APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, the rally will take place at MKO Abiola Democracy Park in Akure, starting at 10 a.m.
Seventeen political parties, including the APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, and Social Democratic Party, are set to participate in the election, per the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) list of cleared parties.
As campaign activity intensifies, tensions flared Tuesday between the Ondo APC and PDP, with PDP officials alleging APC plans to manipulate the election by appointing party members as INEC presiding officers. APC Ondo Publicity Secretary Alex Kalejaiye dismissed these accusations as baseless, citing APC’s broad support and the incumbent’s achievements across the state.
In a show of support, Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji encouraged Ekiti natives residing in Ondo to vote for Aiyedatiwa, calling his re-election a show of continued support for President Bola Tinubu.
Meanwhile, former Vice President and PDP leader Atiku Abubakar urged Ondo voters to rally behind PDP candidate Agboola Ajayi. Atiku expressed concerns over possible election manipulation and called for vigilance, stressing the importance of a free and fair election.
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) appealed to all stakeholders to maintain peace throughout the election. IPAC Chairman Yusuf Dantalle urged INEC and security agencies to ensure neutrality, emphasizing that the election should be free from violence or interference.
All 17 participating parties will inspect INEC’s sensitive materials today, including ballot papers and accreditation devices, before their distribution to local governments later this week. INEC confirmed that these materials arrived in Akure on Monday, transported by the Nigerian Air Force, and are now secured at the Central Bank of Nigeria.
