The Independent National Commission, INEC in Kano state on Thursday presented Certificate of Return to the state governor- elect, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR, his deputy, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, MFR and members of the National Assembly, including the out-going governor, Rabi’u Kwankwaso, who is the Senator-elect for Kano Central.
The North-West INEC Zonal Commissioner, Amb. Muhammad Ahmad Wali who presented the certificates at Center for Democratic Research and Democratic Studies, Mambayya House in Kano city said Nigerian Constitution mandated the commission to issue it before swearing-in of the elected leaders, adding that it is the last portion of the 2015 election process.
He noted that although in the past, Nigeria had experienced challenges in organizing elections, considerable improvement has been achieved in the 2015 elections, which include the use of the card reader and other modern technologies.
Amb. Wali who said Nigerians deserve commendation for avoiding acts capable of threatening the country’s stability during and after the general elections praised the people of Kano for the cooperation extended to the commission which facilitated violence-free elections in the state.
In his speech, the state Resident INEC Commissioner, Alhaji Halilu Pai maintained that the innovation introduced by INEC in the conduct of the elections has put behind the era of rigging and other forms of electoral malpractices.
On his part, Kano state Governor-elect, Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje appreciated the INEC revolution in the election process through the introduction of anti-rigging devices, adding that the way his opponent Salihu Sagir Takai congratulated him even before the official announcement of the results to further indicates that Nigerian democracy has matured.
He thanked the state incumbent Governor, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso for paving way for him to serve the state, assuring that he would continue with all policies and programs initiated by Kwankwasiyya administration.
The governor-elect thanked voters in the state electorate for giving their mandate to APC candidates, promising that apart from continuing with the out-going administration’s projects, new people-oriented programmes would be introduced by his government.
