*Says it’s victory for democracy
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
“This man is a General, an elder and so he has brought the military discipline to bear in the running of the nation’s democratic system and we now have situation where opposition members are commending government of governing party they never said well about. It is indeed a victory for democracy and President Buhari takes the glory not Obasanjo, not anybody else,” the respondent said.
Beyond administration of the country, President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari’s full takeover of responsibility as Leader of the nation’s governing Party, All Progressives Congress (APC), has finally achieved the much desired paradigm shift as election conduct is now confirmed satisfactory by opposition parties and other stakeholders.
Governor of Sokoto State and Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, was among the first to commend the Edo State governorship election process that handed victory to candidate of his party in Edo State poll last weekend.
The APC’s highest office in Abuja also Monday congratulated the winner, Governor Godwin Obaseki, on his re-election as the governor of Edo State, barely 24 hours after President Buhari magnanimously hailed the re-elected PDP governor and reiterated his commitment to free, fair and credible elections process as always.
The Chairman of the APC National Caretaker Committee, Mai Mala Buni said in a statement that the peaceful conduct of the Edo election and its outcome represents a victory for Nigeria’s democracy.
He said the party and the President remain committed to free and fair elections to strengthen the foundation of the country’s political and moral authority.
He commended INEC, security agencies, and all political parties that contested the election for the successful conduct of the election.
“The September 19, 2020 Edo State Governorship election is over, the winner has been declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the person of the Mr. Godwin Obaseki, candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP). We hereby congratulate the winner of the election, the people of Edo State and all Nigerians. The peaceful conduct of the election and its outcome represent victory for Nigeria’s democracy.
“As a party, we join our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, to affirm our ‘commitment to free and fair elections’ in order to strengthen ‘the foundation for our political and moral authority’. We commend INEC, our security agencies and all political parties that contested the election for the successful conduct of the election. As a governing party, we will take every step necessary to support the Federal Government to consolidate all the gains achieved.”
A respondent who didn’t want his name mentioned said, “This is the much desired election process that we have clamoured for but which we did not get since the beginning of Fourth Republic in 1999 until President Muhammadu Buhari came and, even to the dislike of some of his party leaders, he has begun to effect the real change that APC promised.
“He has been doing that in anti-corruption fight, in the economy management, in the security and safety and, moving forward now, he has moved a step further beyond administration to making elections process credible.
“This man is a General, an elder and so he has brought the military discipline to bear in the running of the nation’s democratic system and we now have situation where opposition members are commending government of governing party they never said well about. It is indeed a victory for democracy and President Buhari takes the glory not Obasanjo, not anybody else,” he said.
