The Oyo State Governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo South Senatorial District has lost the election to the candidate Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Kola Balogun.
Balogun, who polled 105,720 floored Ajimobi, who recorded 92,579 votes. The PDP candidate won with a margin of 13,141. The African Democratic Party candidate, who is also the incumbent Senator in the district, Senator Soji Akanbi, came third with 49,437 votes.
Out of the nine local government areas in the district, the PDP candidate cleared Ibadan North, Ibadan North-West, Ibadan South-East, Ibadan North-East, Ibarapa North and Ibarapa East and while Ajimobi won in Ibarapa Central, Ibadan South-West and Ido local government areas.
Announcing the result on Monday after about 15 hours of collation at Ibadan North Secretariat, the Returning Officer, Prof Kolawole Akinsola of the University of Ibadan, declared Balogun winner of the poll amidst fully armed security operatives on the premises.
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Akinsola said, “I, Prof Wole Akinsola, the returning officer for the Oyo South Senatorial District, declare that Kola Balogun of PDP, having satisfied the number required by the law, is the winner of the February 23 election and is returned elected.”
However, APC collation agent, Dr Abdulazeez Olatunde, rejected the result. He complained that violence marred the polls in three wards within Ibadan South-East and filed a petition, requesting that the election be declared inconclusive.
Responding, the returning officer said he could make such declaration based on a petition filed by the APC. He added that it would be forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for appropriate actions.