Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has paid a heartfelt tribute to his predecessor, the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, following his victory in the state’s gubernatorial election. Aiyedatiwa, who succeeded Akeredolu after his death in December 2023, was declared the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday.

Aiyedatiwa, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), secured 366,781 votes, defeating his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 117,845 votes.

Speaking on Channels Television’s *Politics Today*, the newly elected governor expressed his wish that Akeredolu could have been present during his declaration. He said, “The Lord gives and takes, but today he is no more. 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.”

Aiyedatiwa’s victory has been met with widespread congratulations, marking the beginning of his tenure at the Ondo State Government House for the next four years.