President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated David Lyon, Governor-elect of Bayelsa State, over his victory in the state’s governorship election conducted on Saturday.
President Buhari congratulated Lyon, who was was declared winner of the election by Professor Faraday Orumwense, the Returning Officer for the election, in a statement issued by Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity on Monday.
According to Orumwense, Lyon, who contested under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), polled a total number of 352,552 votes to defeat his closest rival, Senator Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 143,172 votes.
President Buhari in his congratulatory message described Lyon and APC’s victory in the poll as “impressive”.
He also congratulated the people of the state for exercising their franchise peacefully bar few skirmishes recorded in some voting locations.
The president condemned the violence recorded during the election and expressed his sympathy to the relatives of the victims.
“President Buhari also commends APC supporters in particular and Nigerians in general in the State who exercised their civic rights in a peaceful manner, notwithstanding the pockets of unrest recorded in some locations. Sadly the violence led to some deaths, particularly before the election. My deepest sympathies to the families of the victims.
‘Violence during elections vitiates our commitment to demonstrate to the world and upcoming generation that we are a people capable of electing leaders in a peaceful and orderly manner,” the statement read.
President Buhari commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies for their conduct during the election, saying that they “did their best within the ambit of the law to ensure free, fair and credible elections” despite the pockets of violence.
While pledging to work with the incoming government, the president urged Governor-elect Lyon to be magnanimous in victory.
“The President looks forward to working with the incoming government to improve the lives of the people in Bayelsa State, while ensuring the security of lives and property of all citizens.
“President Buhari urges Governor-elect Lyon to carry other divergent interests along in the next phase of governance, imploring those not satisfied with the outcome of the poll to seek redress through the constitutionally established channels,” the statement read.
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