Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan, Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and his Abia State counterpart, Chief Theodore Orji and the defeated incumbent governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi have congratulated Governor-elect of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose on his victory at the Saturday, June 21, 2014 polls.
They congratulated Fayose in separate statements made available to Blank NEWS Online on Sunday.
President Jonathan in a statement signed by his spokesman, Reuben Abati on Sunday, commended INEC, the Security Services and the good people of Ekiti State for the successful and peaceful conduct of the elections in keeping with his administration’s avowed commitment to ensure that elections in all parts of Nigeria are progressively freer, fairer and more credible.
“As Mr. Fayose readies himself to assume office in fulfillment of the clearly expressed wish of his people, President Jonathan urges him to be humble and magnanimous in victory and commit himself to forming an administration that will work for the advancement of the interests of all Ekiti people irrespective of their political affiliations or loyalties,” Abati said n the statement.
“President Jonathan calls on Mr. Fayose to regard his second chance to serve as Governor of Ekiti State as a sacred mandate from God Almighty and his people which he must discharge with immense dedication, wisdom and vigour to achieve a much more rapid pace of socio-economic development in Ekiti State for the benefit of its people who resoundingly reaffirmed their trust in his leadership by voting overwhelmingly for his election yesterday.”
Jonathan assured Fayose that the Federal Government will give all necessary support and assistance to his incoming administration and cooperate fully with him in furtherance of the present administration’s objective of significantly improving the living conditions of Nigerians in all parts of the country.
He wished Fayose continued good health and a very successful second tenure as governor of Ekiti State.
Also the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan congratulated the Governor-elect, urging him to see the outcome of the election as testament of the will of the people and acceptance of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Uduaghan in a statement by Felix Ofou, his Press Secretary in Asaba, also praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for proving itself once again by conducting a free, fair and credible election devoid of violence.
He thanked and also congratulated the people of Ekiti State for their peaceful conduct during the election which saw Fayose emerging as governor-elect.
Governor Uduaghan however advised Fayose to be magnanimous in victory by forming an all-inclusive government that will address the needs and aspirations of the people.
He said: “Your victory at the poll is a comprehensive testament of the faith the people of Ekiti have in you and the Peoples Democratic Party. It is therefore your responsibility to ensure that they reap the dividends of democracy in abundance.”
Dr. Uduaghan who was full of praises for President Jonathan for providing a level playing field for all the parties that contested the election also commended the security agencies that ensured the safety of lives and property during the conduct of the election.
In the same vein, the Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, congratulated Fayose, for his hard earned victory at the just concluded governorship election in Ekiti State where he defeated the incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Ajunwa, Governor Orji who expressed happiness over Fayose’s landmark victory, thanked the people of Ekiti State for remaining peaceful during and after the governorship election.
Governor Orji who also thanked officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Police and other security agencies for the professional manner they discharged their duties, said the people of Ekiti State made the right choice by voting massively for the PDP candidate, Fayose.
The governor charged the people of Ekiti State to give Mr. Fayose all the needed cooperation and support to enable him realize his dream of taking the state to greater heights.
“Mr. Ayo Fayose’s victory is a divine mandate. I know that the newly elected governor of Ekiti State has all it takes to bring the dividends of democracy to the people of the state. He has done it before and he will do it again.”
Meanwhile, incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has also in the spirit of good sportsmanship congratulated Ayo Fayose who defeated him in the strongly contested governorship election.
In a very short broadcast at 11am on Sunday, Fayemi said he had called Fayose to congratulate him over his victory at the polls. He also said he was meeting with Fayose on Monday to discuss ways of moving the State forward.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while congratulating the newly elected Governor described his victory as well deserved.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement on Sunday said:
“We are particularly elated that the will of the people of Ekiti state prevailed and we sincerely congratulate them for realising their yearning for a truly democratically elected administration in their dear state,” Metuh said.
“The outcome of this election confirms the popularity and acceptability of the PDP and its candidate, the governor-elect of Ekiti State. It brings to the front burner, the genuineness of the crowd that throng our rallies across the country, especially in Ekiti state.”
PDP also attributed the victory to its “strict adherence to the principles of internal democracy, the kernel of transparency in the conduct of our governorship primary which produced a popular candidate, the overwhelming choice of party members.
Metuh said the victory was also a clear conformation of its position that the APC is not really on the ground and has no genuine followership even in states that are under its control. Thanking the people of Ekiti state for their support, the PDP urged the governor- elect to ensure an all-inclusive administration that will revamp and reposition the state in line with the manifesto and ideology of the PDP and move it from the APC’s valleys of poverty, stagnation and ruin.
“We demand of the APC, the sportsmanship required of democrats in an electoral contest by congratulating the victorious candidate just as we did in Edo state where it won and in Ondo and Anambra States where Labour and APGA won respectively instead of taking to incitement and other bad loser syndrome.
“We wish to state very emphatically that the commitment of the President remains the greatest motivation to the new story of credible polls in Nigeria – a promise he made to the nation in 2010, he has faithfully delivered. He has effectively put behind us, the story of Nigeria as an electoral pariah in the international community. We are so proud,” Metuh stated.
Recall that Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ekiti State, in the election which was adjudged to be free and fair and devoid of violence by the INEC and election observers, polled 203,090 votes as against Governor Kayode Fayemi who got 120, 433 votes, while Labour Party’s Opeyemi Bamidele was in distance third.
According to the returning officer, Prof Isaac Asuzu, Fayose won the highest votes in each of the 16 local governments areas thereby defeating Governor Fayemi at his local government (Oye), former governors Segun Oni at Ido Osi and Niyi Adebayo at Irepodun/Ifelodun.
In his words, “Ayodele Peter Fayose of PDP having certified the requirement of the law and scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
The detail result is: Efon LGA: PDP 5335,APC 3422, LP 358 EMURE PDP 7086 ,APC 5086,LP 1537 oye : PDP 11,200,APC 10,176,LP 512 ilejmeje: PDP 3670,APC 3,236,LP 165 ikere: PDP 16,197,APC 7989,LP 585. IKOLE: PDP 14238,APC 8804,LP 1259. Ekiti South West: PDP: 11036, APC:6746, LP 1,413. ijero: PDP13,814,APiC 9348,LP 1554 Ifelodun: PDP 13038,APC 6834 LP 3555 Moba: PDP 8878,APC 7994,Lp 1000. Ise orun: PDP 10,136, APC 5809 LP 600 Gboyin: PDP 11,046,APC 8138,LP 714 Ekiti West:PDP 10,702,APC 7860,LP884 Ido/_Osi: PDP 13045,APC 7134,LP 1182 Ado Ekiti: PDP 41,169,APC 13,937 LP 2,065
TOTAL: PDP 203,090, APC120,433, LP18,135
