Lagos: Ambode defeats Agbaje, PDP rejects results

Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode

The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, as the winner of the April 11 election while the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, came second.

But while Agbaje had called to congratulate Ambode, the PDP in the state rejected the result, citing “controversial circumstances” within which the elections were conducted.

Out of the 20 local government areas in Lagos, Ambode won in 15 while Agbaje won in five.

The Lagos State Collation Officer, Prof. Isaac Adewole, noted that Ambode polled 811,994 votes while Agbaje got 659,788 votes, a difference of 152, 206 votes.

The media aide to Ambode, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, told our correspondent on the telephone that Agbaje had congratulated Ambode.

He said, “Mr. Jimi Agbaje called at exactly 6.50pm to congratulate Mr. Ambode. He prayed for Mr. Ambode and told him that he was looking forward to a more prosperous Lagos.”

However, the Lagos State chapter of the PDP in a statement by its Legal Adviser, Mr. Adeleke Adefala, said card readers were manipulated in areas where the APC won.

The statement, which was addressed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner, read, “I, on behalf of our governorship candidate, the state assembly candidates and the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State write to bring to your attention the following issues for your immediate attention and resolution.

“Our candidates have brought to our attention that contrary to electoral rules and guidelines, the newly introduced card readers were not used in the following local governments: Epe, Babagry, Mushin, Ikorodu, Eti Osa, Alimosho, Ikeja, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island and some parts of other local governments.

“This amounted to no proper accreditation of voters and a denouncement of the sanctity of the voting process. There were numerous complaints of front and uploading of the card readers with fictitious names before commencement of accreditation in areas where card readers were used such as Lagos Island, Ikorodu, Kosofe, Lagos Mainland and Badagry.

“We hereby demand for the suspension of the collation and release of the results pending investigation into our complaints.”