A group has commended the incumbent governor, Yahaya Bello, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over successful completion of the November 11 governorship election.
The group made the call at a press briefing organized by the representative Apex leadership concourse of over 250 Community Based Associations (CBAs), Civil Society Organisations and Grassroots Oriented Institutions, on Monday in Abuja.
The President General, Dr Akbar Manzo Abubakar, highlighted the level of transparency, professionalism, and peaceful atmosphere that prevailed throughout the electoral exercise.
He, however, commended Governor Yahaya Bello for his commitment to ensuring a level playing field for all contestants, adding that Bello provided an enabling environment for the democratic process and implemented stringent security measures, which resulted in a peaceful voting exercise.
He said: “We are equally greatly enthused with the uncommon and progressive leadership showcased by Governor YAHAYA BELLO , which greatly effectuated into the peaceful ambience for the conduct of the polls, given it’s peculiarity, informed by the fact that it’s an off- season electoral contest.
“The security apparatuses of the Nigerian State deserve special mention for the corporate professionalism that they exhibited by maintaining equidistant relations with all the contending registered political formations and this sufficed as the badly needed deterrence which kept anti – Democratic. Militarist forces in check.
“The element of dysfunction witnessed in parts of the state did not negatively and dramatically bombard the ultimate outcome. Of course all the aspirants deserve praise, salutations and commendations for the unprecedented civility and good conduct demonstrated during the defining epochal polls which recorded Zero fatality.
“The reports from our field units and cadreship in all the three senatorial districts adequately confirmed that Kogi State and Nigeria lived up it’s billing as a matured consolidated democracy in tandem with the elaborate systemmatizations, postulations and adumbrations of Huntingham, Alfred Steppan et al encapsulated in the two thumb rule of power alternation being intrinsic to Democratic consolidation and democracy as the only game in town.”
While commending the All Progressive Congress guber candidates, Usman Adodo, he said: “We must not fail to mention the Commodious inclusive governance philosophy showcased by the duly elected Governor Elect Usman Ododo for extending the hands of fellowship, fraternity and cooperation to all the Co- contestants and for pledging on his word of honour to govern the Confluence State within the context of it’s diversity by mainstreaming all the currents in the Kogi ideological spectrum in policy formulation and decision making.
“The amazing show of grace is most salutary and ennobling and such skills shall by God’s Grace come in handy when he assumes the reins as the Democratically Elected Governor of KOGI State. We the Collective Collegial Apex leadership concourse are equally persuaded that Alh.
“Usman Ododo shall make Kogi State to attain her apotheoisis in all materials particular oblivious of the fifth column from within and the extraneous fiery arrows bent on sabotaging his progressive vision and mission for Kogi State , which could be situated as a microcosm of Nigeria , informed as it were by the fact that it is the gateway to both the Northern and Southern sectors of the Nigerian Federation.
“We equally commend the Gallant Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for being gracious and unbowed in defeat and promising to remain a true Kogite in all materials particular.
“The battle for Luggard Government House was most fierce but thank God for His Abundant Mercies that it has been fought and won and lost. All that is needed is for all the aspirants to subsume their personal interests for the good of KOGI , so that marching together as corporate purpose and shared enterprise, the Confluence State shall set the standard for leadership not only in the Middle Belt and the North Central geopolitical region but in the Nigerian fatherland and the African continent.”
Calling for peace, he said: “I urge all of us to fly to peaceful edifying dialogue , partner together inorder to let loose a political participation dynamic UNPRECEDENTED in the political annals of KOGI State and the Nigerian Federation.
“There shall be nothing to be lost and everything to be gained when all the contestants, the Governor Elect and the good people of KOGI State shall construe of themselves in word and deed as part of one large family which they are by simulating or to put it a bit charitably by orchestrating the technical and material conditions for a new Thoroughly re-engineered Kogi State in tandem with the aspirations of the founding fathers of the Nigerian State.”
