President Bola Tinubu felicitates the winner of Saturday’s Ondo State governorship election, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while also commending the peaceful conduct of the process.
However, the president urged all those dissatisfied with the outcome of the election to go to court.
According to a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), the President 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 polls to the civility in the state.
The incumbent governor earned a fresh mandate of four years defeating his closest rival and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Agboola Ajayi by a margin of 248,936 votes.
In the results announced by INEC Presiding Officer, who is the vice chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja, Professor Olayemi Akinwunmi, Aiyedatiwa won in all the 18 local government areas in the state.
President Tinubu enjoined the political actors to allow their orderly conduct to permeate the post-election activities and processes.
President Tinubu expressed the belief that the Ondo State election was another litmus test of the capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission, affirming 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 President also commended INEC for the efficiency of uploading more than 98 percent of results on the same day of the elections.
President Tinubu extended his appreciation to the Nigerian Police Force, National 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.
Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has hailed the APC victory in the election in Ondo election, describing it as a further endorsement of the ruling party.
Senator Barau, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, commended INEC for upholding the people’s will as expressed by their votes.
He also applauded the visionary leadership of the national chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, which, according to him, has given the party more cohesion and ultimately led to the party’s victory in this election and other off-season elections in Imo, Kogi and Edo states.
“The victory of our great party, the All Progressives Congress, in Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State is well-deserved. I congratulate the governor-elect, H.E. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and all our supporters on this victory. It is not just a victory for the APC but for our democracy and the people of Ondo State.
“This victory is a further endorsement of our great party, the APC, and a reaffirmation of the confidence of the people of the state in the exemplary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
