PRESS RELEASE
- Kick against plunging Lagos into political, and security crisis
Election Observers on the platform of the National Observer Group (NOG) have adjudged the just concluded Governorship and State Assembly elections in Lagos State as a credible, transparent, free, fair, and gender-friendly election.
The group said the outcome of last Saturday’s gubernatorial poll, won by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the victories of House of Assembly candidates at constituency levels should be “happily accepted by all political parties and candidates as a true reflection of the people’s mandate.”
National Observer Group, a coalition of civil society groups that monitored the last elections in Lagos State, spoke on Monday during a press conference addressed by the group’s Coordinator and National Coordinator, Grassroot Mobiliser for Better Nigeria Initiative, Hon. Safiya Ibrahim Ogoh; Founder of Ayisat Gbajabiamila Foundation, representing Centre for Childcare and Youth Development, Hajia Ayisat Gbajabiamila and Leader of Global Policy Advocacy and Leadership Initiatives, Comrade Adewale Adeogun.
Speaking at the press conference, Ogoh said the outcome of last Saturday’s elections largely reflects the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians, who voted for candidates of their choice without hindrance.
“We wish to congratulate the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) for organising a free, fair, credible, and gender-sensitive election, and indeed all Nigerians for peacefully conducting themselves, which proved once again that the principle of ‘one man, one vote’ is now the norms in Africa’s biggest democracy,” she said.
She also commended the security agencies for conducting themselves professionally and with the utmost civility, thereby ensuring that elections took place and met international best practices.
Gbajabiamila urged those planning to plunge Lagos State into a political and security crisis to desist from it immediately before the law catches up with them, adding that political thuggery and cultism remain prohibited.
“Elections are not a do-or-die affair, politicians should always approach it with a high level of civility and patriotism. They should see themselves as part of the society they want to lead and must not destroy it with their ambition to lead or rule by all means,” she advised.
Comrade Adeogun, who described the outcome of Saturday’s election as a victory for democracy, commended Nigerians and Lagos residents in particular for performing their civic responsibilities during the last elections without fear, favour, intimidation, or any form of harassment.
He said: “We appreciate the Independent National Electoral Commission in Lagos State for remaining resolute and committed to conducting a credible, transparent, free, and fair Governorship and state Assembly elections in the State whose outcome has truly reflected the people’s mandate by being neutral and fair to all participating political parties.
“The Lagos State Governorship and State Assembly elections of March 18, 2023, took place as scheduled across the entire state under a peaceful atmosphere. We, therefore, adjudged the election to have met the international best practices of credible, transparent, free, fair, and gender-friendly elections.”
Press release
March 20, 2023
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege rejects INEC’s declaration of Oborevwori as winner of Delta poll
A while ago, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Delta State announced Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, gubernatorial flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the governor-elect following the March 18 governorship election.
The declaration was made despite the myriad of infractions and acts of impunity on the part of the PDP in the course of the election. These were brought to the attention of INEC with incontrovertible proof.
The March 18 election was characterized by massive fraud, unprecedented vote buying and voter suppression perpetrated by the PDP in the course of the election.
The fraudulent nature of PDP’s so-called victory are just too damning and daring for it to be acceptable in any decent society. Most of those infractions are on the public domain and known to INEC officials and the security agencies involved in superintending the election.
In the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections, the results pointed to an unequivocal rejection of the PDP. Of the three senatorial zones in the state, APC won two while PDP controversially edged out the Labour Party in the Delta North Senate race.
It was an unadulterated verdict of Deltans on how they have fared under 24 years of governance of their state by PDP.
*On the basis of the factors listed and more that will come later, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, governorship candidate of the APC in Delta State as well as the leadership of the party, unequivocally reject the declaration by INEC of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori of the PDP as winner of the March 18 governorship election.*
We will challenge this fraudulent result using all legal means.
As a democrat and Deputy President of the Senate, Omo-Agege will explore all lawful avenues to reclaim the mandate freely given to him by the good people of Delta State.
To the numerous supporters of APC and the entire public that share in Omo-Agege’s vision of building a new Delta State, we urge you all to remain calm, peaceful and law abiding.
I can assure all our teeming supporters and all Deltans that the PDP pyrrhic celebration of a stolen mandate will be short-lived.
By the grace of God and the clearly expressed wish of the people, this electoral heist will be reversed and Senator Omo-Agege will be sworn in on May 29, 2023 as the lawfully elected Governor of Delta State.
Signed
Sunny Areh
Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy President of the Senate and Governorship Candidate of APC, Delta State, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege
Cross River: Ndoma-Egba congratulates Prince Otu
…. Enjoins him to be magnanimous in victory
A top chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, has congratulated the winner of the governorship poll in Cross River State, Senator (Prince) Bassey Otu, describing his election as a well-deserved victory.
Ndoma-Egba, a former Senate Leader and ex-Chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), who stood solidly behind Otu during the campaigns, said in his congratulatory message to the Governor-elect that Cross Riverians settled for him because they believe he has the capacity and experience to transform and lift the state to greater heights.
In the congratulatory message personally signed by Ndoma-Egba, he said: “I am incredibly proud of your resounding success in the gubernatorial election held on Saturday 18th March, 2023 wherein you garnered an overwhelming majority of votes to emerge the Governor -Elect of Cross River State.
“The manner of your victory clearly testifies to the fact that Cross Riverians across ethnic, religious and geographical divides have endorsed and enthroned capacity and experience as well as our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State. By your election, the politics of ethnic and religious bigotry that the opposition used as the plank of their campaigns have been defeated squarely and consigned to the backwaters of our political history.
“Your Excellency, you ran a good campaign where you sold your ‘Peoples First’ manifesto to our people across the length and breadth of Cross River State. Without any iota of doubt, this election has proven that Cross Riverians bought your message and have implicit confidence in your ability and capacity to lead us aright from May 29th, 2023.
“Instructively, your victory is a victory of truth over untruth, justice over injustice, our people over external forces and a total defeat of the politics of ethnic sentiments. The level of victory is also indicative of the level of trust and hope the people have in you. I trust that you will neither fail nor disappoint them. You are not known as the Sweet Prince for nothing. History is on your side.
“I enjoin you to be magnanimous in victory. This is a time to rebuild the Cross River State of our dream. To rebuild not only our infrastructure but also our mindset. I had long predicted that your victory will be a national phenomenon, an earthquake that will swallow any caterpillar. I am elated that it has come to pass.
“I reserve special commendation for His Excellency, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade, Governor of Cross River State and the Leader of the APC in the State for his untiring efforts in ensuring our Party’s victory. I also congratulate the leadership, senior stakeholders and all members of the Cross River State chapter of the APC for a job well done leading to our electoral victory.
“Once again, congratulations to you, Sen. Prince Bassey Otu (the Sweet Prince) and all our House of Assembly members-elect from the APC. Indeed a new dawn has been birthed in Cross River State.”
