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Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed confidence that when the supplementary election in the inconclusive Kogi West Senatorial district is held, its candidate, Senator Smart Adeyemi, will reclaim what the party calls his “stolen mandate” from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The party, in a statement signed by the its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, also commended the people of Kogi for voting for the re-election of the party’s governorship candidate, Yahaya Bello.
Related: ‘A victory well won,’ Buhari says to Bello on re-election
The statement reads:
“APC thanks the good people of Kogi and Bayelsa States over the party’s resounding victories in the governorship elections.
“We congratulate all Nigerians, our teeming supporters and members for the hard-fought election victories. Indeed, these victories are as significant as are well-deserved.
“In Kogi, our great party is delighted that the good people of the state ignored the propaganda and clannish campaigns of the opposition and reelected our candidate, Governor Yahaya Bello. We cannot thank the Kogi electorate enough.
“Although, the INEC has declared the senatorial election in Kogi West district inconclusive, we are confident that when the supplementary election is held, our candidate, Senator Smart Adeyemi will reclaim his earlier stolen mandate.”
Reacting further, the party’s national leadership also celebrated the party’s victory in Bayelsa State, saying that “our party’s victory in Bayelsa is even more of a landmark.”
“Against all odds and in defiance of the established but retrogressive political order since 1999, Bayelsans decided through their votes to overwhelmingly elect our governorship candidate, David Lyon.
“Bayelsans decided to ditch the disastrous regime of the PDP and pitch their tent with a progressive platform. This a sacred trust our candidate and party will not take for granted,” the statement read.
The party also commended those who contributed to the victory, expressing “profound appreciations to President Muhammadu Buhari for his moral support for our candidates; the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, our governors and other party leaders for their support and distinguished presence at our rallies in Kogi and Bayelsa; the First Lady, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari; wife of the Vice President, Dolapo Osinbajo for rallying massive support during the final grand rally in Lokoja, Kogi State.
“We appreciate the tireless efforts of our National Campaign Councils for Kogi and Bayelsa, headed by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El Rufai and Jigawa State Governor, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar respectively.
“We dedicate our party’s election successes to the good people of the two states, with a solemn promise that our victorious candidates would justify the confidence reposed in them,” the party noted.
Chiding its opposition party, the PDP, the APC stated: “Finally, there remains much to be done in ensuring the sanctity of our electioneering process, particularly partisan approach to elections. The PDP must begin to address itself to the new reality that votes are beginning to count.
“PDP’s retrogressive tactics of massive thumb printing, ballot box snatching, vote buying, thuggery, violence and other illegal schemes will no longer win elections for them.”
