By Stephen Adeleye
Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Sunday congratulated Sen. Smart Adeyemi for his victory at Saturday’s Kogi West re-run Senatorial District poll announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed issued in Lokoja, described the victory ”as a collective manifestation of intellectual, moral and cultural virtues, and mandate given by the good people of Kogi West”.
Bello commended the APC supporters and the people of Kogi West for exercising their civic rights in a peaceful manner.
He also lauded INEC officials and security agencies for doing their best within the ambit of the law to ensure free, fair and credible elections in the re-run.
Bello restated his commitment to use his second term for groundbreaking developmental strides in all parts of the state, while expressing his gratitude to the people for their support for his administration.
”The APC as a party is particularly grateful to the people of Kogi West for their peaceful conduct at the polls and embracing the promise of the party to work assiduously to ensure development of the area and the state in general.
”Now that we are having all three APC senators representing Kogi at the National Assembly, my administration will work in synergy with them and other APC lawmakers to attract more projects to our state, to make life more meaningful for its citizens”, Bello said.
NAN reports that the returning officer, Prof. Olajide Lawal, announced on Saturday that Adeyemi polled 88,373 votes to defeat the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dino Melaye who recorded 62,133 votes.
INEC had a week ago declared the election inconclusive due to the margin between Adeyemi and Melaye, which was lower than the number of “registered voters in 53 polling units of the 20 registration areas in the zone where elections were cancelled”.