More winners and losers have emerged from the governorship and legislative elections conducted across the country on Saturday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State, Lt. Col. Agbu Kefas (retd) has been declared winner of the keenly contested race.
Kefas polled a total of 236,712 votes to defeat the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates, who trailed behind respectively.
Addressing journalists shortly after the declaration, Kefas called on his co-contestants in the race to join hands with him to move the state forward.
According to him, the victory was an indication of the dominance and good work the present PDP administration has been doing in the state since 1999.
“I am grateful to God for the victory. I will do more for the people of the state to defend the mandate. I will ensure I succeed to make PDP proud; the efforts of the Taraba that voted for me will not go in vain.
“The people should have trust in us, give us maximum support. The victory is for all of us, let the opponents come, let’s work with their developmental ideas for the good of our state,” Kefas said.
The leadership of Tiv Cultural and Social Associations in Taraba State has pronounced that the emergence of Agbu Kefas as governor-elect of the state will mark the end of Tiv/Jukun crisis that has been persistent for decades.
President-general of the association, Joshua John Ayagwa, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, yesterday hours after the declaration of the state’s governorship results where Kefas was declared winner.
Ayagwa, who called on the entire Tiv people of the state to support the incoming administration of Kefas after his swearing-in on May 29, 2023, said he and other Tiv stakeholders had intensively engaged the governor-elect on critical issues bordering the Tiv people in the state before throwing their weight behind his election as governor in the state.
Zamfara
Dauda Lawal Dare of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been declared winner of the Saturday’s Zamfara State governorship election.
Lawal defeated incumbent Governor Muhammad Bello Matawalle of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) by polling 377, 726 votes to Matawalle’s 311, 976 votes.
The returning officer for the election, Prof. Kasimu Shehu, who is the vice chancellor of Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, made the declaration in the early hours of yesterday.
Niger
The APC governorship candidate in Niger State, Hon Umar Mohammed Bago, who was declared the winner of the Saturday governorship election, has urged his supporters not to be provocative in their jubilation
He was declared the winner by the returning officer , Prof Clement Alawa, deputy vice chancellor, University of Abuja, after announcing the collated results
Announcing the collated votes, he said APC scored 469,896 votes and led in 20 local government areas (LGAs) as against the PDP candidate, Isa Liman Kantigi, who came second with 387,476 and won in 5 LGAs.
In his speech immediately after he was declared winner, governor-elect, Bago, implored his supporters to avoid provocative jubilation, adding that he was going to run an all-inclusive government.
He appreciated the people for finding him worthy to hold their mandate as the Niger State governor, promising not to let them down.
Tinubu Flays Purveyors Of Ethnicity, Political Tirades, Attacks At Polls
President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has expressed dismay over the ethnic jingoism and tirades of abuse in the country’s political space during the 2023 polls, especially in the aftermath of the governorship and state assembly elections.
He regretted that while the election is supposed to be a celebration of a country’s burgeoning democracy and freedom of choice, it has been turned into moments of grief in Nigeria.
The former Lagos governor vowed to expand the country’s civic space and safeguard “citizens’ freedom to exercise their rights within the bounds of the law.”
In a statement he personally signed and issued by his media team yesterday in Abuja, Tinubu said, “The physical and verbal assaults committed are unacceptable and antithetical to democratic ethos. I am particularly pained by cases of ethnic slurs, which are capable of creating needless mis-characterisation reported in some locations.
“My appeal is for us to rise above our differences, which, in reality, are fewer than the valued strings that bind us together as a people irrespective of the circumstances of our births.
“As former governor of Lagos State, I can attest to the strength in our diversity and togetherness. As your President-elect, it is that spirit of inclusiveness we engendered in Lagos that I intend to bring into national governance so that together we can attain our full potential.
“Indeed, the elections are over. The people have voted to elect their governors and state legislators that will serve them for the next four years. The time for leadership and governance is now upon us.
The president-elect promised to be a worthy partner to all Nigerians, saying “the only way to justify the trust and confidence of the people and the mandate entrusted in us is to commit ourselves to the service of the people.”
He continued, “We must all work diligently and sincerely to make life better for the masses. As elected officers, we have no other assignment than to be burden-bearers for the masses and ensure they have a better life that we promised during the campaigns.”
“We must take urgent steps to unite the people; those who voted for us and those who did not. We must champion the healing process by embracing the opponents and their supporters. As I have stated previously, the time for politicking is gone. This is time for nation building, a task beyond one individual or a section of the society. We need every hand from wherever it may come to be on deck.
“I am ready to work with you all as your President. I will be a worthy partner you can trust and rely on as we all bond together, in unity of purpose and renewed hope for, the betterment of our blessed country and beloved people.”
