INEC Presents Certificates Of Return To Bayelsa, Kogi Govs-Elect

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, at the Bayelsa State INEC Headquarters, Yenagoa, presented Certificates of Return to the winners of the Bayelsa State Governorship election, Chief David Lyon and Senator Degi Eremienyon, of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Also presented with a certificate of return is the winner of the supplementary election for Brass State Constituency 1 of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon Charles Daniel.
The INEC state headquarters located along Swali Road was turned into a carnival by jubilant supporters of the APC, who drummed and danced while the ceremony lasted.
In her remarks before the presentation of the certificates of return to the governor-elect and deputy governor-elect, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Bayelsa, Rivers and Edo States, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, said the presentation was in fulfillment of Section 75 (1a) the Electoral Act as amended which mandates the commission to present certificates of return to winners of election within seven days, adding that the ceremony marked the end of a process which started in May.
Also in his remarks, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in charge of Bayelsa State, Pastor Monday Tom, who presented the certificate of return to the House of Assembly member-elect, said he was grateful to God that under his watch, Bayelsa State was able to conduct one of the most peaceful and violence-free elections in the history of the state without recording any deaths.
According to the REC, he had to engage himself on 14 days fasting and prayers to seek divine intervention for a violence-free election and clement weather throughout the election.
He urged the winners to be magnanimous in victory and the losers to be gallant in defeat.
In his remarks, the Governor-elect, Chief David Lyon, commended Bayelsans for coming out en-masse to vote him as governor, and promised not to disappoint the confidence reposed on him by the people.
While appealing for all to come together to move the state forward, he said all the contestants in the electoral process were winners, adding that there were no losers in the election.
His words: “Today is historic in the political space of Bayelsa State; I extend my greetings to the good people of Bayelsa who took pains to decide their vote in a peaceful election recorded so far in the history of Bayelsa. Let me assure you, Bayelsa money is not David Lyon’s money or my deputy governor’s money. Bayelsa money will be used to develop Bayelsa State.
“Today, David Lyon and the APC are signing a contract with Bayelsans to develop Bayelsa State. The contract is to bring peace in Bayelsa State so that investments can come on board. I assure you that we will not disappoint Bayelsans.
“In an election, we have a lot of contestants, and today, by the will of God, I have emerged the winner, that does not mean that others did not win. All of us are winners and there is no loser.
“This is a time for us to come together. Please Bayelsans, we have lost a lot. We have missed a lot. Let us come together to develop our great state. I remain grateful to INEC and the security agents for doing a good job; this is the first time in the history of Bayelsa State that election is peaceful.”
Also, the Independent National Electoral Commission, on Thursday, presented Certificates of Return to the winner of last Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi State, Governor Yahaya Bello and his running mate, Edward David Onoja.
The event took place at the Professor Mahmoud Yakubu Hall, at the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Lokoja, the state capital.
Bello and Onoja had contested last Saturday’s governorship election on the platform of All Progressives Congress and returned winners.
APC had polled a total of 406,222 votes to defeat Peoples Democratic Party’s Musa Wada, who polled 189,704 votes.
The National Commissioner in charge of North Central, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, who presented the certificates to the governor-elect and deputy governor-elect said, “Today marks a new beginning after the election and a call to duty for the governor-elect and his deputy.”
Earlier the Kogi state resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor James Apam said the presentation was in line with the tradition of the commission.
“We know what we went through to get to this stage and its time to settle down for the job ahead” he noted.
In his acceptance speech, Governor Bello said while the day was the second time he would be receiving a Certificate of Return as a governor, it will not be the last time he will be receiving a Certificate of Return from INEC.