President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday advised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties that were not satisfied with the results of governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states to seek redress in court.
Buhari gave this advice shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the Kogi State Governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Yahaya Bello, winner of the Saturday governorship election in the state.
The APC candidate in Bayelsa State, David Lyon, had on Sunday won the governorship poll in the state. Lyon polled 352,552 votes to defeat his closest rival, Senator Duoye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party, who got 143,172 votes.
Buhari, in a statement by his media aide, Femi Adesina, congratulated Bello and Lyon, for winning Saturday’s governorship polls.
While he described Lyon’s victory as “impressive”, the President said Bello’s election was “a race well run and a victory well won.” Buhari asked those who were not happy with the outcome of the polls in the two states to go to court to seek redress.
The President commended the APC and the people of the states, who exercised their civic rights in a peaceful manner, “notwithstanding the pockets of unrest recorded in some locations.”
He stated, ‘Violence during elections vitiates our commitment to demonstrate to the world and upcoming generation that we are a people capable of electing leaders in a peaceful and orderly manner”, the statement quoted him as saying.
It added, “He notes that while officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies did their best within the ambit of the law to ensure free, fair and credible elections, it is unfortunate that pockets of unrest, mostly sponsored by desperate politicians, were recorded during the polls.
“The President looks forward to working with the incoming government to improve the lives of the people in Bayelsa State, while ensuring the security of lives and property of all citizens.
“President Buhari urges the Governor-elect, Lyon, to carry other divergent interests along in the next phase of governance, imploring those not satisfied with the outcome of the polls to seek redress through the constitutionally established channels.”
Buhari also noted that in Kogi, Bello ran a good race and won it well. “The President describes the election and emergence of the APC candidate in Kogi State as “a race well run and a victory well won.” He condoled with families of those who lost their loved ones during the election in Kogi.
Buhari said, “President Buhari urges Governor Bello to see his renewed mandate as another opportunity to build on the foundation already laid towards improving the lives of the people of Kogi State.
