Fashola, Fayose congratulate Aregbesola

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, has congratulated his Osun State counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola, for a “well-deserved victory” in the Saturday governorship election.

This is just as the Ekiti State Governor-elect, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for the conduct of the election in which Argebesola emerged victorious.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Hakeem Bello, Fashola said Aregbesola’s victory came despite harassment and intimidation from the Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government.

The statement read, “Following the formal declaration by INEC in the early hours of Sunday, of the incumbent Governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola, as the winner of Saturday’s gubernatorial election, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has congratulated his brother governor for a well-deserved victory.

“Fashola congratulated the people and the government of Osun State for a well-fought and won election in spite of intimidation and harassment by agencies of the ruling opposition party who sought to militarise the state during the event.

“The victory of his brother governor on the platform of the All Progressives Congress and the people of the Osun would remain a strong indicator of the victory of truth over falsehood, pointing out that no matter the amount of pressure or intimidation to suppress them, the ultimate power rests on the people in a democracy.”

Meanwhile, Fayose, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, described Aregbesola’s victory as a plus for democracy in Nigeria, as it showed that Nigerians could conduct their affairs in peaceful and orderly manner.

He expressed confidence that as the incoming governor of Ekiti State, he would have a pleasant working relationship with Aregbesola in a bid to move their states and the South-West geo-political zone forward.

Fayose lauded INEC for “conducting a transparent poll devoid of rancour despite initial fears in some quarters,” the statement read.

Fayose also lauded President Goodluck Jonathan for championing the cause of credible elections in Nigeria and standing firmly by it.

The PDP governor-elect also commended security agents for providing adequate security before, during and after the election. He also thanked them for not allowing anybody to foment trouble.

A former Lagos State Commissioner for Health and a prominent member of the APC, Dr. Leke Pitan, also congratulated Aregbesola, describing the victory as a testament to the influence of the APC in the South-West

“I am congratulating Governor Aregbesola on behalf of our great party, my family, campaign team and all our people in Lagos State for the victory. This victory, I am convinced, will rejuvenate our party men and women in neighbouring Ekiti State and even re-affirm our party’s pre-eminence in the south-west and Nigeria,” he said.