The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), has declared Ondo Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the State.

Aiyedatiwa was declared winner after he won all the 18 local government areas of the state..

He defeated former deputy governor Ajayi Agboola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olorunfemi Festus of the Labour Party, LP, and Abbas Mimiko of Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, among others, in Saturday’s poll.

Announcing the result in Akure, the state capital, INEC’s Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja, Prof. Akinwumi Olayemi Durotimi, said Aiyedatiwa polled a total of 366781 while Ajayi got 117845 while LP had 1162.

He said, “Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of the APC having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of lawful votes cast, is hereby returned elected.”

Here are things to know about Lucky Aiyedatiwa

1. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa was born on January 12, 1965.

2. He hails from Obe-Nla, an oil-bearing community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

3. Lucky had his Primary education at Saint Peter’s UNA (now FAC) Primary School, Obe Nla/Obe Adun in Ilaje LGA of Ondo State between 1970 and 1976.

4. He had his secondary education at Ikosi High School, Ketu, Lagos, in 1982.

5. In 1986, he obtained Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) in Economics and Government from Lagos State College of Education (now Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education), Ijanikin, Lagos, he later attended University of Ibadan for Advanced Diploma in Business Administration in the year 2001.

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6. He became an alumnus of Lagos Business School – Pan Atlantic University, Lekki, Lagos where he obtained Post Graduate Certification in Chief Executive Education (CEP) in Business Management in 2009.

7. In 2013, he obtained a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from University of Liverpool, United Kingdom.

8. He worked as an Inventory/Store Officer at Scoa Assembly Plant Plc. Apapa, Lagos, between 1982 and 1983.

9. In 1987 he was Assistant Head Teacher at Reliance International Schools, Ijokodo, Ibadan.

10. He became Marketing Officer at Universal Pharmaceutical Supply Co. Ltd, Ikeja, Lagos in the year 1990.

11. In 1992, he was an Assistant Investment Analyst. Global Trust Limited, Gbagada, Lagos, he was General Merchandise Manager, Biz Mart Nigeria Limited, Lagos Island, Lagos, 1994.

12. He is the MD/CEO of Blue Wall Group of Companies which he established in 1996 which includes; Blue Wall Nigeria Ltd, a Trading Company, Blue Wall BDC Nigeria Ltd, a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) licensed foreign exchange trading company and Blue Wall Safety Travels and Tours,[8] an IATA licensed Travel Agency and Logistic Company.

13. He joined active politics in 2011 as a card-carrying member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) which later merged with other political parties and became All Progressive Congress (APC).

14. He was one of the National Delegates from Ondo State at the All Progressive Congress (APC) National Convention at Abuja in 2014.

15. He contested for the federal House of Representative[9] for Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency in 2015 Presidential and National Assembly General Election.

16. Aiyedatiwa served as the federal commissioner who represented Ondo State on the Board of Niger Delta Development Commission from 2018 to 2019.

17. He was selected as the running mate of the governor of Ondo State Rotimi Akeredolu in the 2020 Ondo State gubernatorial election.

18. On 11 October 2020, Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa were elected governor and deputy governor of Ondo State as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

19. On 25 February 2021, they were sworn into office as governor and deputy governor of Ondo State respectively.

20. Aiyedatiwa became acting governor of Ondo State on 13 December 2023, as Akeredolu left for end-stage leukaemia treatment.

21. He became Ondo State governor on December 27, 2023, after Akeredolu died.

22. He previously served as deputy governor of Ondo State from 2021 to 2023 under Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

23. He is a former commissioner of Niger Delta Development Commission.

24. On December 13, 2023, Aiyedatiwa became acting governor following the departure of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on medical leave.

25. He had previously served as acting governor from June to September 2023 when Akeredolu was on medical leave.