Reactions to Mimiko’s victory...

Don’t distract Mimiko with litigations, Mark, Ihedioha tell PDP, ACN
By Taiwo Adisa, Canada
SENATE President, David Mark, has asked the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the Ondo gubernatorial election to refrain from using litigations to distract the winner, Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

Mark, who stated this in Quebec, Canada, where he was the leader of the Nigerian delegation to the 127th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting, said the result of the election had confirmed that the wishes of the Ondo people had prevailed.

He said Nigerian politicians must start embracing the democratic culture, where the power of the people, as expressed through the ballot, was seen as supreme.

Mark, who congratulated Mimiko on working hard to secure the victory, said he was proud Nigerians relegated sentiments to vote for performance in office.

In a similar vein, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Emeka Ihedioha, in an interview, said the result of the election in Ondo had shown that the people appreciated performance.

According to him, reports on the ground before the election had shown that Mimiko had worked hard for the people in his first tenure and that it was only good the people of Ondo rewarded him with a second term in office.

“Looking at the figures, I think it’s a true reflection of the wishes of the Ondo people and I think it was a free, fair and credible election and having spoken to few friends back home, my personal advice is that losers should not get into any form of litigation at all.

“Let’s not waste time and resources. They must all come together now and work with Mimiko for the benefit of Ondo State and the people of Ondo State,” Ihedioha said.

He also commended the people for voting freely, saying that though his party, the PDP, lost, he was happy that the electoral process was free and fair.

It’s triumph of people’s will - LP chieftain

THE victory of the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, at the election on Saturday has been described as “the triumph of the people’s will and crushing defeat for godfatherism in the South-West.”

A chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Bode Ogunmola, in an interview with reporters in Arigidi-Akoko, Akoko North West Local Government Area of the state, on Monday, said the fresh mandate given to Mimiko would afford him an opportunity to work more for the people.

Ogunmola lauded the people of Arigidi and other communities in the council for voting massively for Mimiko at the poll, which he described as the freest and fairest in recent years.

The LP stalwart said Mimiko’s victory belonged to the “entire people of Ondo State, who kept faith with a performing and popular government.”

The victory, Ogunmola added, had proved that LP, with its welfarist manifesto, was the most popular party in Ondo State, while assuring that Mimiko would not disappoint the electorate in his second term.

He advised the parties that lost in the election to join hands with the LP-led administration to take Ondo State to a higher pedestal of development in the comity of states in Nigeria.

It’s victory for lovers of democracy - Saraki

By Biola Azeez, Ilorin

CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Dr Bukola Saraki, has congratulated the  Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, on his victory in the election  held on Saturday.

Saraki described Mimiko's re-election as “a victory for all lovers of true democracy and, indeed, the good people of Ondo State.”

According to him, “this is a litmus test for our nascent democracy,” adding that Mimiko’s first term in office, as attested to by the people of Ondo State, had earned him a well deserved victory.

The immediate past governor of Kwara State, in a statement by his media aide, Akintoba Fatigun, noted that “the stage is gradually looking brighter for future elections.”

According to him, “this is indeed a lesson and reminder to all political office holders to work in accordance with people-oriented programmes at the grass roots levels, to bring about the much desired catalyst for social and economic development.”

He urged the governor to be magnanimous in victory and other aspirants, to cooperate and work in harmony with the returning governor, so as to hasten development.

Saraki also commended the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commissio (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, security agencies and others who made the election historic.

Oshiomhole congratulates Mimiko

EDO State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has congratulated Governor Olusegun Mimiko on his victory in the Ondo State governorship election of October 20.

In a statement issued in Benin City, Edo State capital, Oshiomhole said “I wish to congratulate Governor Olusegun Mimiko on emerging victorious in the titanic electoral contest in Ondo State on October 20.

“From the results, it is quite clear that the Labour Party’s candidate is the people’s choice, just as the standard-bearers of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deserve praise for giving a good account of themselves.

“For me, the ultimate victor in this contest is the people of Ondo State, for turning out in large number to exercise their civic right. Such engagement is surely needed to enrich our electoral experience, thereby deepening the architecture of our democracy,” he said.

He urged Governor Mimiko to work conscientiously to reach out to his opponents, particularly the leadership of ACN and its candidate, with a view to forging reconciliation and moving the state forward.

Election, most credible in recent times - Observers
By Yinka Oladoyinbo, Akure

CIVIL society groups which observed the gubernatorial election in Ondo State, on Monday, described the election as “the most credible in the country in recent time.”

The groups, in a communique, said the election was peaceful and devoid of any malpractices.

The communique, signed by representatives of five of the groups accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), also commended stakeholders for their roles in the success of the election.

Members of the coalition are Reclaim Naija, Transition Monitoring Group, the National Association for Peaceful Election in Nigeria, the Centre for Human Rights and Ethics in Development and the Justice and Equity Organisation.

The coalition noted that there were pre-election fears about the ability of INEC to conduct a credible election, adding the people also entertained fears on the speculation that thugs and mercenaries were being imported from neighbouring states.

It said the coalition, which deployed at least five persons to each of the 18 local government areas to observe the voting in different polling units, observed that distribution of election materials was carried out in effective, transparent manner, in accordance with international best practices.

CPC congratulates Mimiko
By Olawale Rasheed, Abuja

THE Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has congratulated Governor Olusegun Mimiko on his victory at the gubernatorial election, saying the party is satisfied with the conduct of the polls.

In a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune, the national publicity secretary of the party, Mr Rotimi Fashakin, said “as democrats, we believe that after every electoral contest, which was conducted according to governing rules, it is logical to congratulate the winner.

“As a party, we do not have fundamental disagreement on the conduct of the election. We wish Dr Mimiko a successful tenure as the re-elected governor of Ondo State.”

It will be recalled that the CPC, which is in a merger talk with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), did not support its allies in the just-concluded polls.

The CPC noted in the statement that it believed the outcome represented the aspirations of the people of Ondo State.

IG commends Ondo people, security agencies
By Chris Agbambu, Abuja

Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, on behalf of the police high command, has saluted the people of Ondo State for their peaceful conduct during and after the gubernatorial election.

He particularly appreciated the turn-out, discipline, orderliness, patience and understanding displayed by the people, even in the face of some logistic challenges.

He commended them for the immense cooperation accorded the police and other sister security agencies, which made the job of policing the election easier, adding that the development had proved that democracy had come to stay in the country.

The IGP said the conduct of the Ondo people confirmed the fact that power belonged to the people, adding that one of the fall-outs of the election was the clear message that the police could successfully work with the public in the discharge of its constitutional responsibility of protecting life and property.

While commending their discipline, dedication and hard work in ensuring a most conducive environment for the peaceful and crisis-free conduct of the election, the IGP noted the remarkable synergy among the various security agencies, saying that it was a clear signal of the new collective resolve and commitment of all law enforcement agencies to work together for the greater good of the nation.

He assured that the success achieved in the just-concluded election by the police and other security agencies would be improved upon and replicated in subsequent elections in the country.