Candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress in the House of Representatives By-Election for Akoko NorthEast/NorthWest Federal Constituency, in Ondo State, lfeoluwa Ehindero, has been declared the winner of the Saturday election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Johnson Fasinmirin, said the APC candidate 35,504 votes to defeat Mr Bada Olalekan of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) who had 15,328 votes.
Fasinmirin, who is of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, declared Ehindero, winner, after the collation of the results.
Recall that the Akoko North-East/ North-West Federal constituency seat became vacant following the appointment of Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo as Minister of Interior by President Bola Tinubu.
Meanwhile, governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has described as heartwarming the victory of Ehindero.
Aiyedatiwa thanked the people of the two local government areas of the Constituency for their massive turnout in the election and for casting their votes overwhelmingly for the APC.
The governor said: "I congratulate you and the people of the Federal Constituency on this well-deserved victory. This is a testament to the trust that your people repose in you to represent them in the National Assembly.
"Your resounding victory also comes with a huge expectation from the people who have seen in you the capacity to meet and surpass the laudable achievements of your predecessor, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, as their representative.
"This victory is also an endorsement of our great party, the APC, by the people of the State and I want to specially thank them for their support for the party and our government."
He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and other stakeholders for a free, fair and peaceful bye-election.
The governor also thanked the leaders of the APC within and outside the Federal Constituency for their contributions towards the election victory which he hopes will further foster unity in the party in the State ahead of the coming governorship election.
The state chairman of the party, Engineer Ade Adetimehin, who dedicated the victory to God,commended the people of the two council areas for voting enmass for Ehindero.
Adetimehin said that the ruling party would continue to win elections in the state following the delivery of the dividend of democracy across the state by the government.
" We've again weaken the opposition parties in the state. The big one is coming in November, by the special grace of God we'll win the governorship election.
" The ruling party would soon harvest again the Chieftains of the opposition political parties in the state.
" They're coming because of the performance of the APC government in the state. It's an open secret. Our party is the darling of the people of the state.