By Sadiq Umar – The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday said the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would take a position on the appropriate response to the inadequacies in the Saturday federal elections in which he failed in his bid for re-election.
This is even as Mr. Saraki accepted his defeat and congratulated his rival and All Progressives Congress (APC) senator-elect, Ibrahim Oloriegbe for his victory.
The Senate President had lost the Kwara Central senate seat to Mr. Oloriegbe who polled 123, 808 votes while he scored 68, 994 votes.
Mr. Saraki said the election, though generally peaceful, was fraught with irregularities.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Yusuph Olaniyonu, the Senate President pointed to the problems of inadequate card readers, multiple voting, over-voting and other discrepancies as reported by agents of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) across the states.
According to him, “whatever the final outcome of the election, I wish the candidates that have emerged all the best in their attempts to serve our people. It is my prayers that the good people of Kwara State will always have the best from any government both at state and federal levels.”
He said as a product of a family and a political structure that was, from its foundation, devoted to the service and development of Kwara State and its people, it was his wish that the people would always have a good deal at all times.
He said the new development would provide the people the opportunity to compare and contrast.
He said the people who had emerged from last Saturday’s election were not his enemies but “fellow Kwarans.”
“As we prepare for the March 9, 2019 Governorship and House of Assembly elections, let me reiterate my position that the candidates of the PDP in the election represent the best materials for our dear State, Kwara. Therefore, I enjoin our people to come out en masse on Election Day and vote for them. I am going to work with our party leaders to further sell the PDP candidates to the general public.
“I thank all Nigerians for their goodwill and to enjoin all of us that as we patiently await the outcome of the Presidential election, we pray for peace, unity and genuine development in our country. It is also our prayers that at all times, the wish of the people will always prevail in the choice of the leadership and the electorate will always enjoy the benefit of good governance,” he added.
