Olayiwola Matthew
Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Ondo state governor-elect, expressed his wish that Rotimi Akeredolu, his late principal, could have been alive to witness his victory.
Aiyedatiwa, the current governor of Ondo, triumphed across all 18 LGAs, securing 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 117,845 votes.
Aiyedatiwa assumed leadership of the state following Akeredolu’s death from protracted prostate cancer in 2023.
In an interview with Channels Television after his victory, Aiyedatiwa reflected on Akeredolu’s support for his political journey.
“How I wish he was present in that banquet hall when I was declared in the company of other brother governors. That would have been really good, but God knows better,” he said.
“It is so sad and painful that he didn’t live to see the manifestation of what he himself spoke about. I do refer to him sometimes as the man who saw tomorrow.”
“He knew that I was going to succeed him as governor. He knew because he wanted me to and was ready to give me the full backing.”