The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated the newly elected Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Peter Fayose, describing his victory at the Saturday’s election as well deserved.
According to reports from Ekiti, Fayose secured victory in 16 Local Government Areas as well as 158 out of 177 Wards, garnering a total of 203, 090.
Incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi and candidate of the All progressives Congress (APC) came second with a total votes of 120, 433.While Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, candidate of the Labour Party polled 18, 135 votes
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh in a statement on Sunday described the Ekiti 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, “a victory indeed for democracy.”
“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 party said.
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 Mr. Fayose has been receiving since emerging as PDP candidate.
“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 statement said.
The party further congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan on his principled stand on the legacy of credible elections. “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”, it stated.
The party finally commended the Independent National Electoral Commission and the security agencies for their contributions to the successful conduct of the election.
