The Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, who doubles as the Chairman of the National Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the just concluded Osun State Governorship, has hailed President Mohammadu Buhari for congratulating an opposition candidate for the first time since he became president of the country.
Recall, that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Sunday declared Senator Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) winner with a total vote of 403,371.
Governor Diri said it was a good signal from the President as he prepares to leave office
His words “The president congratulated the Governor-elect, from the opposition for the very first time, that is a good signal for him to leave for allowing a free and fair election. And when the winner emerged he behave like the President of this country, father to all and congratulated the winner”
”We say thank you, and we ask you to behave in this manner, do not deviate from this standard that you have set and history will not forget you for allowing Nigerians chose the leaders they want.
The Governor made the commendation on Monday afternoon when he arrived Yenagoa, the State capital to a rousing welcome from thousands of residents and party faithful for his role in the victory of Ademola Adeleke in Osun State.
Diri, who was caught unaware by the multitude of supporters at the state’s International Airport and the Peace Party, venue of the welcome rally, also declared that the victory of the PDP’s candidate, Ademola Adeleke during the Osun State Governorship election was due to prayers and hard work by party faithful at the state and the national levels.
The Bayelsa Governor also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Security Agencies and others involved in the conduct of the Osun election, insisting that the election in Osun was the first properly conducted by the electoral commission in years.
“The security agents in Osun State were professional, for the first time I saw INEC act as an unbiased umpire. An umpire that can do elections anywhere in the world. I equally appreciate the Chairman of INEC and all the members of that commission. At a point we were told that some persons were trying to put pressure on INEC not to continue loading the results on their server, we alerted INEC and they acted quickly by ensuring the process was open, transparent, free and fair.
”Any areas we heard about thugs, we alerted the security and they wade in and got the situations under control. If this is the way INEC, and Security work that means there’s hope for Nigeria. And it is sure that PDP will win that 2023 election.
He also revealed that when naysayers were predicting a loss for the PDP due to the fact that he was made the Chairman of the National Campaign Council of the Party, he went to God in prayers and his prayers were backed with the resolutions of inter frictions within the party in Osun, “God answered our prayers because we challenged him that naysayers were challenging him and not PDP or myself”.