- PDP, Atiku, Secondus felicitate with Wike, Rivers people
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday declared Nyesome Wike of the Peoples’Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the March 9 governorship election in Rivers State.
The Returning Officer, Professor Teddy Adias of the Niger Delta University Otuoke, Bayelsa State who declared Wike winner of the election said he polled a total of 886, 264 votes to defeat his closest opponent and candidate of the African Action congress(AAC), Biokpamabo Awara, who scored a total of 173, 859.
According to Prof. Adias, “That I, this day confirm that I am the returning officer for this election and that Nyesom Wike of the PDP having satisfied requirement of the law and scored the highest number of the votes is hereby declared winner and stand elected.”
Earlier, the returning officer had said that a total of 3, 048, 741 voters were registered across the state for the elections, and a total of 1, 130, 445 were accredited, while a total of 1, 123, 840 votes were validated as a total of 249, 324 votes were either cancelled or elections not held.
Also a total of 1, 123, 840 votes were cast in the exercise.
Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has congratulated Governor Wike on his victory in the state governorship election.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, Atiku described the victory as hard-earned, noting that the governor overcame anti-democratic forces.
He said: “My hearty congratulations to Governor Nyesom Wike on your hard earned re-election. It gives me much pleasure to see a political force for good, such as yourself, overcome the anti-democratic forces of dictatorship and oppression.
“The Peoples Democratic Party is blessed to have a political gladiator, such as yourself, on our side. The citizens of Rivers state are fortunate to have a genuine progressive return to extend the frontiers of progress and development for them.
“And I am favoured to count you, Governor Wike, as my friend and brother, and Rivers state as my second home.
“As your victory is savoured by men of goodwill all over Nigeria, I am sure you will continue the pattern of good works for which you have become known.
“Nigeria needs men like you. Men who can remain firm, unbowed and resolute in the face of trying times. You have proved that you have character under trial, and not just when the going is good. Such refinement will stand you in good stead as, by the grace of God, you finish the good work you have started in Rivers state.
“Congratulations once again and may God bless Rivers state and her people and may God bless Nigeria and Nigerians.”
On its part, the PDP congratulated Wike on his electoral victory.
The PDP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, described Wike’s re-election as “victory for the people of Rivers and triumph of good over evil.”
INEC declared that Wike won the election with 886,264 votes, while his opponent, Mr Biokpomabo Awara, of African Alliance Congress (AAC) trailed with 173,859 votes.
Ologbondiyan said that Wike’s record 700,000 votes margin of victory “speaks volume of the resilience of the people of the state in the face of intimidations, harassment and manipulations by oppressive forces.”
He said that the victory reinforced the confidence of the people in the resoluteness of asserting their democratic choice of leadership as well as standing in defence of their mandate to the end.
The party’s spokesman added that the victory also demonstrated that the will of the people would always prevail against every form of suppression.
He said that All Progressives Congress (APC) wanted to forcefully take over control of the state against the wish of the people.
“The party salutes and venerates all
compatriots who were killed by agents of the oppressors during the election.
These compatriots did not die in vain and those who shed their innocent blood
will surely be
brought to book.
“The PDP commends Wike, the people of Rivers and all lovers of democracy across the board for standing firm until the end to hand this disgraceful defeat to the enemies of the people.”
Ologbondiyan also congratulated all PDP candidates, who won elections at all levels across the country.
He assured those pursuing their mandates at the tribunals that the party was fully behind them, “given that they all have water tight cases at the courts”.
Similarly, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, commended the resilience of party members across the country, particularly the elected ones, for extraordinary show of capacity to resist and withstand brutality, blatant intimidation, harassment and political terrorism.
In a statement issued by his Media aide, Mr Ike Abonyi, the chairman said that PDP was proud of all its flag bearers and their conduct during and after the elections.
“By your peaceful conduct in the face of provocations, you have demonstrated truly that democracy is in your DNA and this we will continue to exhibit until all non-democrats pretending to be one are flushed out of our polity.”
Secondus said that the victorious PDP flag-bearers did not only contest with All Progressives Congress (APC), but with some INEC and military personnel allegedly compromised.
He said that the introduction of inconclusive and suspension of polling in the country’s electoral process was ostensibly to aide APC to victory through supplementary balloting.
Secondus said that the APC, however, could not achieve it aim in Rivers, Bauchi, Adamawa, Sokoto and Benue because of the doggedness of committed democrats in the PDP.
He particularly commended PDP governors for their re-election which, according to him, revealed their overwhelming performances in the last four years in their various states.
“From 11 states when we started this journey in December, 2017 to 13 before the election and now, 15, with a very high hope of victory coming our way in five other states of Osun, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kano and Nasarawa.”
Secondus said that the strategic spread of the PDP victories spoke volume of the character and strength of the party as the only true national platform in the country. – NAN