Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State was, on Thursday, presented with his Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking a the ceremony, Governor Abiodun attributed his victory at the March 18 governorship election to Almighty God and the benevolence of the people of the state.
The governor received the Certificate of Return alongside his deputy, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele and 25 members-elect for the state’s House Assembly
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Governor Abiodun equally lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the enabling environment for free, fair, credible and transparent elections in the country.
Speaking further during the presentation ceremony held inside the INEC Media Centre, Magbon, Abeokuta, the governor Dapo Abiodun said “this mandate is a call to a renewed hope not just for Ogun State, but the entire nation. I will continue with the people’s oriented programmes that will make life abundant to our people”.
He added that his administration would work towards consolidating the gains made in the first term just as new ideas that would benefit the people would be injected into the system.
“Now that elections have come and gone, I call on all my opponents to come and join hands with our administration to build the future of this state we call our own together”, he said.
He thanked the security agencies and staff of the electoral umpire for working tirelessly to ensure peaceful conduct of the elections in the state.
In his remarks, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Ogun, Osun and Ondo states, Prof. Adekunle Ajayi, said the presentation was in accordance with the provision of the Electoral Act 72, Section 1, which stipulated that certificates should be issued to winners within 14 days after elections.
He said the elections were highly anticipated and the electoral body made use of technology to improve the process, adding that the elections saw a high number of people, especially the youths, taking part.
While stressing that the lessons learnt in the course of conducting the elections, would be turned into a working document to serve as a standard for subsequent elections, the INEC National Commissioner said “this will make the electoral body to be one of the best electoral umpires in the world”.
Prof. Ajayi thanked the people of the state for the peaceful manner they conducted themselves during the elections, declaring that the security agencies, the Nigeria Peace Committee, development partners, the media and all relevant stakeholders, all worked towards the success of the elections.
Dignitaries at the occasion included the former Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Dimeji Bankole, Sen Adegbenga Kaka, APC State Chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi among others.