President Bola Tinubu on Sunday felicitated Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for winning Saturday’s governorship election held in the state.
The president also commended the peaceful conduct of the process.
Tinubu’s congratulatory message was conveyed in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, titled ‘President Tinubu congratulates Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa on election in Ondo State.’
The Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday declared Aiyedatiwa, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, as the winner of the election.
The Returning Officer of the exercise, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja, Prof Olayemi Akinwunmi, declared Aiyedatiwa winner having polled 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ajayi Agboola of the Peoples Democratic Party with 117,845 votes.
The President congratulated Aiyedatiwa and other candidates of the 17 political parties for the maturity and sense of purpose demonstrated during the campaigns and the election.
“He enjoins the political actors to allow their orderly conduct to permeate the post-election activities and processes.
“President Tinubu believes the Ondo State election was another litmus test of the capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission, affirming that the electoral body justified the confidence of the people with early preparations, deployment of staff and materials and handling of the electoral process,” the statement read.
The President also commended INEC for the efficiency of uploading more than 98 per cent of results on the same day of the elections.
He extended his appreciation to the Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Youth Service Corps, the military and other security outfits for their professionalism in maintaining peace and order.
Tinubu urged candidates dissatisfied with the outcome of the election to explore the opportunities provided by the judicial system to seek redress in areas of conflict.