The reinstated Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Ondo State, Ayodele Olorunfemi, has blamed former Anambra State governor Peter Obi and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for his loss in Saturday’s gubernatorial election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner after he secured victory across all 18 local government areas in Ondo. According to the State Returning Officer, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, Aiyedatiwa garnered 366,781 votes, defeating Agboola Ajayi of the PDP, who received 117,845 votes.
Prof. Akinwumi announced, “That Ayedatiwa Lucky Orimisan of APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby returned elected.”
Olorunfemi’s defeat came just days after his name was reinstated on the ballot by INEC, following a Court of Appeal ruling that overturned an earlier Federal High Court decision recognizing Obi’s preferred candidate, Olusola Ebiseni.
In an interview with The PUNCH, a visibly frustrated Olorunfemi vowed never to forgive Obi and the NLC, whom he accused of undermining 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. These people spoilt things for us with that PDP reject they wanted to force on the party. Their insistence on having Ebiseni on the ballot ruined everything for me,” he said.
He further alleged that internal conflicts between the Labour Party and the NLC were exploited to sideline him. “Can you imagine that Ebiseni wrote a letter to the court in my name without my knowledge, saying I have withdrawn from the race? They cannot exclude me from such a position,” Olorunfemi added.
Acknowledging that his prospects were slim after being reinstated just days before the poll, Olorunfemi expressed his determination to seek justice. He disclosed plans to petition the police to investigate the alleged forgery of his name and signature by Ebiseni and the NLC.
“Thank God we got an appeal judgment and my name is back in the INEC portal. The good thing here is that the truth has prevailed. Withdrawal must be voluntary. You cannot force someone to withdraw. What they have done was an attempt to force me behind my back,” he said.
Olorunfemi also accused the former NLC President and head of the National Transition Committee, Abduwaheed Omar, of playing a role in the alleged sabotage. “What they did is criminal. In fact, I am planning to petition the Inspector General of Police to probe how they wrote that letter, put my signature, and presented it before the court,” he added.
Responding to Olorunfemi’s claims, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, acting Chairman of the NLC Political Commission, dismissed the allegations, labeling Olorunfemi as “a very funny character.”
“He is one human being you should never take seriously. As a result of this crisis between us and Abure, Olorunfemi became the deputy to Abure and he was given the ticket. Before this election, he was a placeholder. So what did he do? He now started shopping for who would buy the ticket from him,” Ndubuaku said.
Ndubuaku further alleged that Olorunfemi had attempted to sell the LP ticket to Ebiseni for N20 million, adding, “When they refused to give him the ticket, Ebiseni went to court. In retaliation, the Abure’s camp started working to ensure INEC didn’t upload his name because of the kangaroo judgment they went to secure.”
