At a press briefing on Sunday in Akure by the group’s Executive Director, Samson Otodo, and other senior officials, Yiaga backed the result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to them, the percentage of votes scored by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu falls within the range it estimated.

“Based on reports from 97 per cent – 291 of 300 – of sampled polling units, Yiaga Africa’s statistical analysis shows that the APC should receive between 48.9 per cent and 54.1 per cent of the vote; the PDP should receive between 31.2 per cent and 36.6 per cent of the vote; ZLP should receive between 10.5 per cent and 13.3 per cent of the votes, while no other party will receive more than one per cent of the vote share,” one of the officials told reporters in the Ondo State capital shortly after INEC returned Governor Akeredolu elected for another term in office.

As announced by the electoral umpire, Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 292,830 votes, while Mr. Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr. Agboola Ajayi of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) came second and third with 195,791 and 69,127 votes, respectively.

The incumbent governor sailed to victory after securing 51.12 per cent of valid votes cast in the election, leaving the remaining 48.88 per cent for the other candidates.

Similarly, Jegede had 34.18 per cent and Ajayi scored 12.06 per cent of the total valid votes put at 572,745.

“Had the official results been changed at the ward, LGA or state collation centres, the official results would not have fallen within the Yiaga Africa WTV estimated ranges.

“Because the official results fall within the estimated ranges, governorship contestants, parties, and voters should have confidence that INEC’s official results for the 2020 Ondo gubernatorial election reflect the ballots cast at polling units,” the Yiaga official added.

The group insisted that the counting process at polling units was transparent and included representatives from the three major political parties that received the most votes.

They also noted that INEC’s official results for turnout and rejected ballots also fell within their estimates.

Yiaga, therefore, called on Governor Akeredolu and his supporters to be magnanimous in victory.

They asked those candidates who did not win to accept the results, saying they reflected the votes cast.

The group appealed to all candidates, parties and Nigerians to show political maturity and maintain the peace.

They commended INEC for its efforts to improve the election day process and efforts to comply with the COVID-19 protocol.