Aiyedatiwa denies vote-buying allegations, says victory hard-won

The winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has denied knowledge of vote-buying by agents of the All Progressives Congress assigned to polling units in the state.

He also ruled out the speculation about a growing feud between him and the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Agboola Ajayi, following the rejection of the poll outcome by the PDP.

The governor disclosed this when he was featured as a guest on Sunday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Aiyedatiwa was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission after winning the 18 local government areas in the state..

Declaring the result, the State Returning Officer, Prof Olayemi Akinwumi, said Ayedatiwa polled 366,781 to defeat his closest rival, Ajayi, who garnered 117,845 votes.

The governor insisted that the victory was hard won through a collective effort and not by vote-buying.

He said, “For us, it is what we worked for. I didn’t pay money for votes. I am not aware that any party member bought votes on my behalf. And there won’t be any reason to buy votes because Ondo people know what they want.

“Both of us (including Agboola Ajayi) served under the late governor (Rotimi Akeredolu) and they knew our relationship with the late principal. We have access to one another and à free flow of communication. We have no bad blood, which also doesn’t exist this time.

“Honestly, even though we are chasing the same cheese as it were, it is not by fight or do-or-die. We relate well. When I won my primary, Agboola congratulated me and I congratulated him when he won the PDP ticket.”

Asked if Ajayi or any of his opponents had reached out to congratulate him after the governorship election outcome, he shook his head.

“Well, I am saying the same. I have not seen any (of the calls) yet. I don’t know, except I check my phone again,” he said.

On whether he has reached out or plans to call his political opponents, the governor hesitated before declaring it was too early for him to start considering such action.

He said, “It is still too early. The declaration by INEC was just some hours ago. But we are not divided in any way. Look, a political party is just a platform to take you to your destination.

“During our engagement with INEC at the stakeholders meeting, we shook hands and related very well.”