Edo governorship poll, triumph of people’s will – Women NGO

A gender group, Women Advocacy for Justice, has congratulated the people of Edo State for a “peaceful and orderly conduct before, during and after the 2016 gubernatorial election”.
A press statement made available to the media on Sunday and signed by its Executive Director, Henrietta Ihonvbere, described the poll, won by Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress, as the triumph of the will of the people expressed via the ballot box, with the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The statement reads in parts: “We congratulate the people of Edo State for trooping out en mass to the polling units on election day to cast their votes in an atmosphere devoid of fear and intimidation, which is a tenet of democracy and is commendable. We commend them for being vigilant, orderly and peaceful at the polling units in which results of casted ballots were publicly counted and announced at the end of the exercise.
“We commend wholeheartedly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its impartial and professional conduct in the timely and prompt distribution of men and materials who exhibited efficient mastery of equipments that ensured the successful conduct of the election which has gone a long way in engendering Nigeria’s democracy. The promptness of (INEC) personnel in arriving at virtually all the polling units across the 18 local governments council areas of the state, contributed in no small measure to the success of the election. We congratulate INEC for a job well done.
“We equally commend the professionalism and impartiality of the security agencies that were adequately and timely deployed to all the polling units and unarmed in accordance with the provisions of the electoral act. We also applaud the security personnel deployed to road blocks and on patrol who exhibited patriotism and diligence in ensuring that peace reigned in the state throughout the election.
“We commend the local and international observers who performed their responsibility of observing the elections creditably without fear or favour and thus enhanced the beauty of our democracy through exemplary and responsible conduct. We as well commend the media for their unbiased and professional coverage and reportage of the election which is a testimonial of their role as an indispensable stakeholder in engendering democracy.”