By MUFTAU OGUNYEMI

The All Progressive Congress (APC) has won the 18 chairmanship and 203 councilorship seats in the Local Government (LG) election held on Jan.18 in Ondo State.

Dr Joseph Aremo, Chairman, Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC), announced this at the commission?s headquarters on Sunday night in Akure.

Aremo, who explained that the election was keenly contested by 12 political parties, said it was peaceful without any incidents.

He said that the contest for chairmanship and councillorship seats were in the 18 local government areas and 203 wards respectively

?The election across the 203 wards was keenly contested, and candidates sponsored by APC emerged as councilors elect in the 2025 local government election of Ondo State.

?Also for the chairmanship election as well, it was keenly contested and from presentations made at the respective LG level, the candidates of APC emerged winner across all the 18 councils,? the ODIEC chairman said.

Aremo appreciated residents in the state for upholding the tenets of rule of law, and for coming out to vote for the candidates of their choices.

According to him, the presentation of the results show that Saturday?s election was free, fair, credible and transparent.

The chairman assured residents of the commission?s readiness to do more in subsequent elections, and called on political parties to play their roles in terms of voter education and participation.

?Whatever the shortcoming we have identified in the process, we will definitely improve, especially in the area of enlightenment.

?But we cannot do it alone, because political parties must step up the desire to enlighten their members in terms of voter education and participation.

?Sovereignty ultimately belongs to the people and they should be allowed to choose whoever they want as their leaders,? he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) withdrew their participation 48 hours to the election.

They alleged lack of confidence in ODIEC conducting a free, credible, and transparent election. (NAN)

Update news