Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa has been inaugurated as the governor of Ondo State, marking the beginning of his first full four-year term of the oil-rich state.
Mr Aiyeditiwa had replaced the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, after his demise while in office in 2023. He was the deputy of the late governor, who died after a long bout with illness.
He contested for the number one seat of the South West state over three months ago and won under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He was sworn in on Monday, February 24, at the Ondo State Sports Complex in Akure, the state capital.
Mr Aiyedatiwa took his oath of office just after his running mate, Mr Olayide Adelami, did his around 12:59 pm.
The governor thereafter rode in an open van around the complex, waving to cheers from supporters.
In November 2024, Mr Aiyedatiwa won the Ondo governorship election By landslide, clearing all 18 local government areas and scored 248,000 votes more than his closest rival.
The Returning Officer for the election Mr Olayemi Akinwumi, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State declared Mr Aiyedatiwa of the APC as the man to continue his stay at the Government House in Alagbaka, Akure.
Mr Aiyedatiwa, the incumbent governor of the Sunshine State polled 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival and a former deputy governor of the state Mr Ajayi Agboola who flew the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag and had 117,845 votes,
“That Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of the APC having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” the returning officer said on November 17.
Mr Aiyeditiwa ascended to power on December 27 2023 after his principal, Governor Akeredolu’s died after a lengthy battle with illness and had before his demise transmitted power to Aiyedatiwa.
He then won the APC’s ticket for the 2024 governorship election in Ondo, pitting him against 17 other candidates including Agboola who was also a former deputy to Akeredolu during his first term in office.