The Labour Party governorship candidate in Ondo State, Ayodele Olorunfemi, has attributed his defeat in Saturday’s election to the actions of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner after he secured victory in all 18 local government areas of the state. Aiyedatiwa garnered 366,781 votes, defeating Agboola Ajayi of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 117,845 votes.
Olorunfemi’s candidacy was reinstated by the Court of Appeal just days before the election, overturning an earlier Federal High Court ruling that had ordered INEC to recognise Olusola Ebiseni, a candidate reportedly endorsed by Peter Obi. Despite the legal victory, Olorunfemi expressed frustration over the impact of the prolonged legal battle on his campaign.
Speaking to reporters, Olorunfemi accused Obi and the NLC of undermining his chances by supporting Ebiseni, describing their actions as detrimental to his campaign.
“I have Peter Obi and the NLC to thank for that. They have scuttled my aspirations and chances to win this Ondo election,” he said. “Their insistence on having Ebiseni on the ballot ruined everything for me. Can you imagine that Ebiseni wrote a letter to the court in my name without my knowledge, claiming I had withdrawn from the race? They cannot exclude me from such a decision.”
Olorunfemi acknowledged that the late reinstatement by the court left little time to revive his campaign. When asked if he attempted a door-to-door campaign with supporters, he admitted that his efforts were insufficient due to time constraints.
“My campaign for the election was neither here nor there,” he said. “The crisis between the Labour Party and the NLC only made things worse.”
Despite accepting the loss, Olorunfemi vowed to seek redress for what he described as a betrayal of his political aspirations
