“Let me use this opportunity to reassure Sokoto people that their trust will not be misplaced. I will consolidate on the achievements of the current administration and continue where Governor Aliyu Wamakko stops,” he averred.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday issued the Governors-Elect of Rivers and Sokoto States, Chief Nyesom Wike and Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal with their certificates of return following their victories at the governorship elections held in the respective states on April 11.
Also issued with their certificates of return in Port Harcourt were the Rivers State Deputy Governor-Elect, Mrs. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo; and elected National Assembly members in the State.
In Sokoto State, Tambuwal while receiving his certificate of return from the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States, Hajiya Amina Zakari, pledged not to betray the trust reposed on him by the people of the state.
He noted that the people of Sokoto had shown massive support to the All Progressive Congress (APC) and as such there was no way he would betray them.
“Let me use this opportunity to reassure Sokoto people that their trust will not be misplaced. I will consolidate on the achievements of the current administration and continue where Governor Aliyu Wamakko stops,” he averred.
He stated that the APC-led federal government would partner with states to execute people-oriented projects across the country.
Tambuwal to this end, promised to give priority to job creation, education, agriculture and rural development.
He therefore, commended INEC for conducting free, fair and transparent elections nationwide and particularly in Sokoto State.
In his remarks, Zakari commended politicians in the state for the way and manner they conducted themselves during the general election.
Also speaking, the Resident Electoral Commissioner Sokoto State, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, said the people of the state have spoken by given Tambuwal the mandate and it behoves on him to work hard to meet the expectations of the people.
“The people of Sokoto have spoken and had unanimously elected the governor-elect. So, he is carrying the wishes and aspirations of the people and must strive to meet their expectations by improving their living conditions,” he stressed.
In Port Harcourt, handing over the certificates to Wike and others, INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers States, Mrs. Thelma Iremiren, congratulated them on their victories at the polls.
She urged the elected officials to live up to the expectations of the people.
Speaking to journalists shortly after collecting the certificate of return, Wike assured the people and residents of Rivers State that he would promote development in the state.
He said the PDP would never be intimidated despite the plot of the APC to manipulate the mandate of the people through the judiciary.
Wike said the survival of PDP in the state was because God had destined the party to liberate the state.
He said: “The people of Rivers State will never regret their support for the PDP during the elections. We assure PDP members in Rivers State that the intimidation tactics introduced by the outgoing administration through a phantom judicial commission of inquiry will fail. We shall continue to stand by our members.”
The Governor-Elect said after May 29, the administration would commence development in full swing.
He called on all other governorship candidates to join hands with him to develop the State, stating that the resources of the State would never be used to instigate conflict amongst the people.
Meanwhile, PDP candidates have won all the seats in the re-run House of Assembly election held last Saturday in the six remaining consistencies in four local government areas of the State.
In a statement signed by the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Gesila Khan, the INEC stated that the PDP candidates, having satisfied the requirements of the law, had been declared winners.
The elected candidates include Martyins Umana (Ahoada East 1), Ehie Ogerenye Edison (Ahoada East II) and Ogeh Samuel (Emuoha).
Others were Opurum Iroanya Nwuzoma (Etche I), Tony Uchechukwu Ejiogu (Etche II), and Diri Kelly Adonye (Opobo/Nkoro).
Khan said all elected members of the house of assembly would be issued their certificates of return on a later date.
It will be recalled that the APC in the State, at a press briefing last Friday, said they would not participate in the Saturday election, alleging that the state REC had been compromised.
In another development, the APC in Rivers State has said the President of a South Africa-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), Mrs. Eno Udensi, lied in her report that elections in Rivers State were free and fair.
A statement issued in Port Harcourt Monday by the Director of Communications, Greater Together Campaign Organisation (the campaign outfit of APC gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside), Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said views expressed in a recent press briefing by Udensi were an afterthought from a biased observer.
She noted that Udensi had said INEC deserved commendation for “job well done.”
Semenitari said: “We want to advice Udensi, who is a known apologist of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Godswill Akpabio, and a guest of PDP governorship candidate in Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, that truth at all times, is costlier than cash.”
While expressing the hope that Udensi’s views were personal and not that of the Observer group she led, the campaign outfit noted that even at that, Udensi’s position was a deviant and an aberration when compared with other reports turned in by “credible observer groups” including teams from United States and the European Union, and independent media teams from across the world.
The campaign outfit reiterated its earlier rejection of all that took place in Rivers State on April 11.
“We insist that what transpired in Rivers State on April 11 was no election in the true meaning of the word. Udensi is an enemy of Rivers’ future and wellbeing. By her views, she has revealed her connivance in the questionable conduct of Mrs. Gesila Khan, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in the conduct of the elections. It is unfortunate that people like Mrs. Udensi saw no evil in INEC’s betrayal. Until justice was done, Rivers people will continue to demand same and condemn likes of Mrs. Udensi,” Semenitari said.