The All Progressives Congress (APC) has emerged victorious in 16 out of 18 chairmanship seats in the local government elections held in Ondo State on January 18, 2025. The announcement was made on Sunday by Joseph Aeemo, Chairman of the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC), at the commission’s headquarters in Akure.

Aeemo noted that while a rescheduled election is being held in Ondo West Local Government Area (LGA), results from Owo LGA are still pending.

The elections saw participation from 12 political parties, including the Action Alliance, Action Democratic Party, Labour Party, and Social Democratic Party. However, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) opted out, citing a lack of confidence in ODIEC’s ability to conduct a credible election.

The last council election in Ondo State was held on August 23, 2020. Following the expiration of the tenure of elected council officials on August 22, 2023, civil servants, specifically Heads of Local Government Administrations, managed the state’s 18 council areas.

After multiple postponements, ODIEC finally conducted the long-awaited election on January 18, 2025, ensuring the restoration of elected leadership in most of the state’s local governments.

The APC’s strong showing reinforces its dominance in the state’s political landscape. While the final results from Ondo West and Owo LGAs are awaited, the party’s success in securing the majority of the chairmanship seats underscores its influence across the state.

This election marks a return to democratic governance at the local level in Ondo State and sets the stage for the newly elected officials to address pressing issues in their respective communities.