As the electoral campaign begins in earnest for the gubernatorial election in Ondo State, a recent statewide poll on the 2024 general elections has shown the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, leading with 72% of survey respondents.
This is followed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Agboola Ajayi, who secured 12% of the survey responses, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Bamidele Akingboye, received 5%, and the Labour Party candidate received 3% of the survey respondents.
The poll was conducted by Rankier All-Global Inc., a global ranking-focused consulting firm, using a sample size of 8,500 respondents and a margin of error of 2.5% at a 92% confidence interval. The survey sample represented the age and gender demographics across Ondo State’s 18 local governments, as well as the neighboring states of Kogi and Edo.
Rankier All-Global’s report noted that voter turnout in the 2024 gubernatorial election could be significantly lower than in 2020 due to the perception that the election is a “walkover” for the APC candidate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who has overcome many challenges and emerged victorious.
The report also indicated the respondents’ belief that there are no serious opposition candidates to the incumbent and that many of the opposing political parties are in talks to later adopt the incumbent as their candidate.
67% of the respondents also recognized the strategic and important position of Ondo State to the APC particularly being the State with the highest numbers of votes for the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu when the party lost in Lagos and Osun State.
However, the report also highlighted some concerns, with only 71% of respondents trusting that the elections will be free and fair, and only 62% trusting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will not manipulate the results.
Ondo State’s Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, SAN, reacting to the report, said he won’t be moved by any speculations, he however, emphasized the importance of all stakeholders to ensure peace before, during and after the November election by playing by the rules while he equally expressed confidence in the leadership of the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa as he remains the best choice of the people 9( the State.
Dr. Ajulo, a former National Secretary of the Labour Party, further stated that the report, in his opinion, provides insightful examples of the current political landscape in Ondo State, and it will be important for all stakeholders to work towards ensuring a free, fair, and peaceful electoral process that reflects the will of the people.
