Nigeria Content Online

The Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, issued certificates of
return to all the victorious candidates in elections held to fill
political positions due to be vacant in Oyo State on may 29 Speaking on
behalf of his colleagues, the state governor-elect, Abiola Ajimobi,
vowed to engineer a new beginning for the state as he take up the mantle
of leadership.

The ceremony was
held at the premises of the Oyo State INEC, where he and other 49
elected candidates to the seats in the state House of Assembly and
National Assembly were present to get their certificates of return.

Mr Ajimobi called on
his co-contestants in the election, especially, Adebayo Alao-Akala, the
state governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as
well as Rashidi Ladoja, the former governor and candidate of Accord
Party, to rally round him in efforts to lift the state to greater
heights.

The governor-elect admonished his colleagues not to disappoint the electorate that gave them their mandates to represent them.

Describing his
opponents in the election, Messrs Alao-Akala and Ladoja, as brothers and
friends, Mr Ajimobi declared that there were no loser nor vanquished in
the polls.

Great expectations

He called on those
elected to put in their best to ensure that dividends of democracy are
well delivered to the people in their time, saying ‘to whom much is
given, much is expected.”

According to him,
the expectation of the people of the state in the in-coming government
is too high to be dashed, promising to do his part to make the people
the focus of his government.

The National
Secretary of INEC, Abdullahi Kaugama, expressed appreciation to the
political stakeholders in the state for their conduct in the election,
which he said was peaceful.

The state Resident
Electoral Commission, Ayo Adakeja, also said he felt fulfilled for
superintending over credible election in the state, maintaining that
there was room for improvement.

He commended the
losers of the poll for being gallant as, according to him, they
demonstrated spirit of sportsmanship in spite of the tension arising
from unfounded rumours and false alarms that reigned during the
pre-election period.

Mr Adakeja also gave kudos to all members of the National Youth
Service Corps (NYSC) used as ad hoc staff as well as members of the
academia who served as supervisors, collation and returning officers
during the exercise.