From Caleb Ishaya
President Tinubu, has expressed the believe that the Ondo State gubernatorial “election was another Tst test of the capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC”.
Tinubu, who stated this yesterday while congratulating Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on his re-election at the weekend, also commended the peaceful conduct of the process.
The president’s spokesman, Mr Bayo Onanuga, in a statement said Tinubu congratulated Aiyedatiwa and other candidates of the 17 political parties for the maturity and sense of purpose demonstrated during the campaigns and the election, attributing the success of the poll to the civility in the state.
In this evening, he enjoined the political actors to allow their orderly conduct to permeate the post-election activities and processes.
“He affirmed that the electoral body justified the confidence of the people with early preparations, deployment of staff and materials, and handling of the electoral process”, the statement read.
Besides, Tinubu commended INEC for the efficiency of uploading more than 98 per cent of results on the same day of the elections.
He extended his appreciation to the Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Youth Service Corps, the military and other security outfits for their professionalism in maintaining peace and order.
The President urged candidates dissatisfied with the outcome of the election to explore the opportunities provided by the judicial system to seek redress on areas of conflict.
Aiyedatiwa, scored 366,781 votes to defeat his closest contender, Mr Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who got 117,845 votes.
Meanwhile, Aiyedatiwa has urged opposition parties to join hands with him and develop the state together.
His call came after the Independent National Electoral Commission yesterday declared him the winner of November 16 governorship election in the state.
In his acceptance speech, Aiyedatiwa while promising to run an all inclusive government, commended INEC and security agencies and all stakeholders involved in the election for a diligent job done.
He also appreciated President Bola Tinubu for providing exemplary leadership by ensuring a level playing ground in the just concluded election
Aiyedatiwa later dedicated his victory firstly to God and secondly to the memories of his former boss, late Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu.
As your governor, I promise to continue to run an inclusive and participatory government, where every citizen has a voice and an opportunity to contribute to our collective progress.
“We will continue to prioritise the welfare of our people, foster economic growth, and ensure that our state remains a beacon of hope and prosperity for generations to come.
”Now that the elections are over, it is time to rededicate ourselves to the service of our dear state.
“I, therefore, want to extend a hand of fellowship to the opposition parties and to invite you to collaborate with us in the onerous task of building a better Ondo State for the overall good of our people.
“Let us put aside our differences and work together to create a brighter future for ourselves, our children, and our communities”, he said.
In an interview with journalists after the official declaration of results, the APC National Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, said the plot to take over Oyo and Osun states had started.
Ganduje, said he was happy that the people of Ondo state showed their love for the party through their votes.
Also present at the event were some APC governors including Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq of Kwara and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State.
Others were Ekiti State Governor, Abiodun Oyebanji, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, Benue State Governor, Rev. Hyacinth Alia, Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma.
Like Tinubu, Oyebanji, congratulated his Ondo State counterpart, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on his victory.
The Governor in a statement yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, described the electoral triumph of Governor Aiyedatiwa as an endorsement of good governance under the APC administration in Ondo State as well as a vote of confidence in the leadership of the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Ekiti Governor expressed gratitude to the electorate in Ondo State for keeping their trust in the ruling party, the APC, based on verifiable indices of good governance since the party came to power in the neighbouring state in 2016.
Governor Oyebanji pointed out that the victory recorded by Governor Aiyedatiwa and the APC has put a fresh challenge on the Ondo Governor to do more for the people of the state who defied the odds to give him a fresh mandate.
Similarly, he said the electoral victory shows that Nigerians appreciate the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and have unwavering confidence that the current socioeconomic policies and programs of the government would yield the desired results, leading to irreversible progress, development and economic prosperity for all.
Furthermore, Yiaga Africa, an election observer group, has lauded the credibility of Saturday’s governorship election in the 18 Local Government Area, LGA, of Ondo State.
Chairman of the 2024 Ondo Election Observer Mission, Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu of Yiaga, made the commendation while speaking with journalists in Akure, the state capital.
Nwagwu, explained that Yiaga’s statistical analysis revealed that the results announced by Independent National Electoral Commission ,INEC, in all LGA’s were consistent with the group’s Process and Results Verification for Transparency ,PRVT.
“Had the official results been changed at various levels, the results would not have fallen within the estimated ranges of the group.
“Because the results fell within the estimated ranges, governorship contestants, political parties and voters should have confidence that the election reflects the ballots cast at polling units.
“INEC should take delicate steps to protect the secrecy of the ballot and enforce its guidelines in subsequent elections.
“The Commission should ensure that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System ,BVAS, is consistently updated and upgraded to ensure optimal functionality.
“INEC should also train its ad-hoc officials properly on disability provisions for each election. Such training will ensure that voters with disabilities are properly catered for.
“Security agencies should prosecute election offenders arrested during the election and be more proactive in arresting and prosecuting perpetrators for voter inducement and vote buying”, he said.
The chairman, therefore, urged Aiyedatiwa and all APC supporters to be magnanimous in their victory, while political parties and Nigerians should display political maturity and uphold peace.
He commended the media, other observer organisations and the international community for their support in the election, and expressed Yiaga’s commitment to promoting credible elections and the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.
