The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that it remained strong and united in the face of all its experience in the Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections conducted on Saturday.
The party stated this in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan on Sunday in Abuja while reacting to the outcome of the two states governorship elections.
The party lost the 2019 governorship ticket in Bayelsa state to the All Progressives Congress, after holding the seat of power since 1999 when Diepreye Alamieyeseigha became the first civilian governor of the state.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party described the conduct of the elections as destruction to the hope Nigerians had in Democratic practice.
“Nigerians and the entire world watched in horror as the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government trampled our democracy underfoot with an utmost impunity that can only be obtainable in Hitler’s Germany and Samuel Doe’s Liberia, where the lives and rights of citizens meant nothing to suppressive power mongers.
“The shameful elections conducted in Kogi and Bayelsa states have damaged the fate of Nigerians in a democratic order.
“Nevertheless, the PDP remains strong and united in the face of all odds. Nigeria is our nation and no individual or group can appropriate our collective sovereignty as a people at all times.”
The PDP spokesman added that the party will remain resilient and focused, despite the elections conducted.
“Our party will, therefore, continue to fully exert itself in upholding the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians despite the manipulations of the APC.
“The PDP urges Nigerians to remain resilient and focused. Our party will, in due course, address Nigerians on the way forward in the overall quest to retrieve stolen mandates, rescue our nation from dictatorial forces and reinforce democratic practice in our country.”
Meanwhile, collation of the results of the governorship election held in Kogi on Nov. 16 shows the incumbent governor Yahaya Bello of APC in a clear over his PDP caounterpart Mr. Musa Wada.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the collating centre reports that the results of seven local governments had so far been released with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in close race.
These are the results as announced by the INEC:
Ogori-Magongo Local Government; APC– 3,679 votes, PDP — 2,145 votes
Ijumu Local Government; APC — 11,425 votes, PDP 7,587 votes
Omala Local Government; APC — 8,473 votes, PDP — 14,403 votes
Adavi Local Government; APC — 64,657 votes, PDP — 366 votes
Igalamela/Odolu Local Government; APC — 8,075, PDP — 11,195 votes
Okene Local Government; APC — 112, 764 votes, PDP – 139 votes
Kabba/Bunu Local Government; APC — 15, 364 votes, PDP – 8,084 votes
Kogi Local Government; APC — 14,097 votes, PDP — 9,404 votes
Meanwhile , the commission has announced the death of one ad hoc staff at Ibaji Local Government.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. James Apam who announced this said that the staff died when the boat in which they were travelling capsized.
He said that the staff was a student of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, noting that arrangements had been made to convey his body to Lokoja.(NAN)
