Congratulatory messages have started pouring in for the Governor-elect of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, who contested Saturday’s governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Among those who had sent congratulatory messages to Fayose by midday on Sunday were President Goodluck Jonathan; the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark; Minister-designate, Prince Dayo Adeyeye; and the candidate of the Labour Party in the election, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele.
The President, in his message signed by his media advisor, Dr. Reuben Abati, congratulated Fayemi on his overwhelming victory in Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
Jonathan also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, the security services and the people of Ekiti State for the successful and peaceful conduct of the election in keeping with the present administration’s avowed commitment to ensuring that elections in all parts of Nigeria are progressively freer, fairer and more credible.
The statement added: “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.
“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.
“The President assures Mr. 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 wishes Mr. Fayose continued good health and a very successful second tenure as governor of Ekiti State.”
Mark also commended security operatives and INEC for the smooth conduct of the election, calling on Fayose to justify the mandate of the people by embarking on projects and programmes that would have direct positive impacts on the citizens of Ekiti State.
To do so successfully, Mark urged the governor-elect to bring all interest groups on board and ensure that no section of the state feels shortchanged or marginalised in the scheme of things.
According to Mark: “Your victory at the poll shows that the people of Ekiti State clearly endorsed your candidature. It is therefore your responsibility to reciprocate this mandate by serving them honestly and effectively.
“The people of Ekiti desire to see functional education system, effective health care facilities, infrastructural development as well as employment opportunities for the youths. All these, you can do with a clear focus and direction.”
Specifically, the Senate president enjoined Fayose to put necessary measures in place to ensure that the state remains united even as he counselled opponents of the governor-elect in the election to accept the results of the poll in good faith and congratulate him as good sportsmen.
Adeyeye described Fayose’s victory as “the victory is the end of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State”.
Adeyeye, who also saluted the people of Ekiti State for standing firmly in their rejection of the APC government, added: “With what happened yesterday, Ekiti people have once again demonstrated to the entire world that whoever takes them for granted will be roundly rejected.”
The ministerial nominee said he was particularly happy that the hypocrisy and lies of the APC was exposed with a scandalous failure in the election.
“By losing in all the 16 Local Councils in Ekiti State, the wholeworld can now see that Dr Kayode Fayemi never won any election in this State. The whole world can now see that Ekiti belongs to the PDP, and I am happy that we are back to our rightful place.”
Adeyeye also thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for his support and commitment to the emancipation of Ekiti State people from the APC and its deceitful government, adding: “Ekiti people will forever be grateful to the president for standing by them and also making sure that their votes count yesterday.”
While congratulating Fayose for his victory, Adeyeye said: “I am happy for Fayose, I am happy for my party, the PDP, and its teeming supporters and most importantly, I am happy for Ekiti people that have been liberated from the yoke of an oppressive government.”
The PDP has also congratulated Fayose.
The party described the victory as well deserved.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement on Sunday described the Ekiti State governorship poll as credible, free and fair, adding that it was an unequivocal statement on the preference of the PDP by the entire people of Ekiti State, nay Nigeria, and “a victory indeed for democracy.”
Metuh 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.
“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.”
The 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.
It 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.
The PDP charged the APC to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship by accepting a clear defeat and congratulating the PDP and the governor-elect, insisting that the handwriting has since been on the wall as evidenced in the massive support Fayose has been receiving since emerging as PDP candidate.
The statement added: ““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.”
The party further congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan on his principled stand on the legacy of credible elections.
It stated: “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.”
The party also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission and the security agencies for their contributions to the successful conduct of the election.
Bamidele described the outcome of the election as a true reflection of democracy and said he accepted the results in good faith, as a mature politician.
Bamidele said this in a statement signed by Ahmed Salami, his media aide, shortly after INEC made public announcement of the election results.
He hailed the INEC and all security agencies involved in the entire process for their unbaised stance and for allowing Ekiti State people to freely make their choice.
He expressed appreciation to the Ekiti electorate, especially those from Iyin Ekiti, his hometown, for staying by him through his campaign rallies and the election, which assisted him to victory over other political parties in the town.
He said their support was attributable to the tremendous spread and acceptability of Labour Party across the state despite being introduced to them in less than five months.
Bamidele, who got 18,125 votes, came third out of 18 political parties that participated in the election.
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