From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor-elect, Siminialayi Fubara, has described the use of Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System ( BVAS) in the 2023 general elections as the best electoral innovation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nigeria.
Fubara made the remark after receiving his Certificate-of-Return from INEC National Commissioner Rivers and Bayelsa States, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.
He also called for training of INEC personnel and ad hoc staff for effective use of the BVAS machine in future polls.
“I want to commend you for this innovation. Although we had a little hitches here and there, I believe going forward, INEC should ensure that ad hoc staff, including their staff are given proper training early enough so that the hitches experienced, most especially during the presidential election will not be experienced in future election.”
Fubara commended Rivers electorate for voting massively for him, his deputy and other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in the election.
According to him, his emergence as the governor-elect is a resounding reaffirmation of Rivers’ people support for continuity and consolidation of the New Rivers vision of the governor Wike’s administration.
“We will ensure that, though the bar had been raised before us, we will also raise the bar for whoever is going to takeover from us.”
Fubara thanked governor Wike, whose sterling performance in office spurred the electorate in the State to vote for him and the 32 House of Assembly members elect.
The governor-elect has extended olive branch to the candidates of other political parties that contested the March 18 governorship election with him.
He urged the opposition to join his incoming administration to build a better and progressive Rivers State.
“For the opposition, our doors are open, including our window. If you don’t want to pass the door you can enter through the window because we really need everyone on board for a better and progressive Rivers State.”
Fubara’s deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu and other newly elected House of Assembly members also received their certificates-of-return from INEC National Commissioner, Mrs. Agbamuche-Mbu.
In her remarks, the INEC National Commissioner supervising Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers State, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, told the governor-elect and the lawmakers elect to realise that being successfully elected into an office is a call to service.
State Governor, Nyesom Wike, his deputy and other chieftains of PDP accompanied Fubara to INEC for the presentation of Certificate-of-Return to the governor-elect and his deputy.
Fubara, of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), had a landslide victory at the March 18 governorship election.
He won in the 23 local government areas of the state, polling a total number of 302,614 votes, followed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Tonye Cole, with 95,274 votes and Social Democratic Party (SDP), Senator Magnus Abe, who scored 46,981 votes.
