The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has congratulated Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo over his re-election in Saturday’s governorship poll.
He also expressed happiness with the overwhelming support exhibited by Kogi electorate in electing Alhaji Ahmed Ododo in the state’s governorship poll.
Ganduje said this in a statement signed by Mr Edwin Olofu, his Chief Press Secretary in Abuja.
He said the electoral feats of both Uzodimma and Ododo reinforced the fact that Nigerians were well at home with the APC.
He added that the victory of the APC in both states underlined the fact that the citizenry was appreciative of the delivery of democracy dividends by Gov. Uzodinma of Imo and the outgoing Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi.
“What gladdens me about the victory of the APC in both Kogi and Imo states is that Nigerians are appreciative of good governance and they want continuity in peace and sustainable growth in their states.
“As a progressive party, we will always live up to our promises to deliver good governance.
“The people of Imo and Kogi States can be rest assured that Uzodimma would sustain his developmental strides in the state while Ododo would consolidate the enviable legacies of Gov. Bello,” he said.
While congratulating both Uzodinma and Ododo over their landmark victory, Ganduje urged members of the opposition political parties to accept their defeat in good faith.
“You are true democrats. The truth is that we are all winners at the end of the day, without a viable opposition, there won’t be contestations and democracy.
“I urge you to join hands with Uzodimma and the incoming governor of Kogi, Ahmed Ododo in the task of moving your respective states forward.
“You all fought a good battle, as the saying goes, there will always be another chance to test your level of acceptability among the electorate,” the APC national chairman said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Uzodimma scored 540,308 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr Samuel Anyanwu who scored 71,503 votes to place second.
The Labour Party((LP) governorship candidate, Mr Athan Achonu, came third with 64,081 votes.
Ododo won the Kogi governorship election with 446,237 votes, defeating his closest rival, Alhaji Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who got 259,052, while Sen. Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pulled 46,362 votes.
Meanwhile, The incumbent governor of Bayelsa State and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Douye Diri, has maintained the lead after clinching five out of the six local government areas so far announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the last Saturday governorship election.
With the announcements of the results of three more local government areas after the break, the PDP won two LGAs while the All Progressives Congress (APC) won one.
The PDP won in Yenagoa, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Ogbia, Sagbama and Ekeremor LGAs while the APC won in Nembe LGA.
The PDP has so far garnered 137,909 votes, while the APC is trailing with 73,503 votes.
Meanwhile, the results for Brass and Southern Ijaw LGAs are still awaited as the State Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof Kuta Farouk, adjourned the collation till noon on Monday.
