Scores of All Progressives Congress (APC) members and supporters in some parts of Ekiti State, on Sunday, trooped out in large number to celebrate the outcome of Saturday’s elections.
There was jubilation in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, Iyin Ekiti and Igede Ekiti, among others.
This is as a former House of Representatives and one-time Lagos State Commissioner for Information, and APC senatorial candidate in Ekiti Central, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele, won the senatorial seat in the state.
His election was declared by the INEC Presiding Officer for the Senatorial District, Prof. Jeremiah Omotola.
The party also won additional House of Representatives seat by Sola Fatoba, who contested in Ekiti Central Federal Constituency (1).
This brings the number of House of Representatives seats so far won by the APC to three, out of the six available seats in the state.
Fatoba won with 55, 483 to defeat his close rival, Mr Ayodele Oladimeji, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 27,836 votes.
Bamidele, who was in the lower chamber of the National Assembly between 2011 and 2015, as a member of the House of Representatives, and later as governorship candidate of Labour Party, scored a total of 94,279 to trounce the PDP candidate, Mr Obafemi Adewale.
Adewale polled a total of 48,707 votes.
During Bamidele’s time at the House of Representatives, he was the Chairman, House Committee on Budget and Research.
Immediately the news filtered into town, Bamidele in company of party supporters stormed Iyin Ekiti, his hometown to celebrate with the electorate.
Governor Kayode Fayemi on Sunday said he remained grateful to God for the peaceful conduct of the election in the state.
He also expressed gratitude to Ekiti people for their peaceful conduct, thereby making the conduct of the election peaceful and orderly in the state.
Fayemi spoke at the Government House Chapel, Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, where he worshiped along with Prince Dayo Adeyeye (Senator-Elect for Ekiti Central District) and Hon Sola Fatoba (member –Elect, House of Representatives Ekiti Central 1) and Prof Dupe Adelabu, a former Deputy Governor of the state.
The Governor, who recalled that the congregation had two weeks ago, prayed for the peaceful conduct of the general elections in Ekiti State, said God had indeed answered the prayers of the people as the elections were held in a peaceful atmosphere in the state.
He, however, sympathised with families of victims of election violence as reported in some parts of the country, while urging Nigerians to always seek for peace at all time,
Fayemi also urged winners in the election to be humble and focus on service delivery. He advised them to see their victory as a product of God’s grace and not as a result of their power or might.
“We have every reason to thank God for the peaceful conduct of the election in Ekiti State. Two weeks ago, the congregation here raised prayer points concerning the peaceful conduct of the election in our state. And God indeed answered our prayers.
“The elections held in a peaceful atmosphere in Ekiti. We pray for the repose of the lives lost during the election in some parts of the country and pray that peace will reign supreme in the country.
“While I rejoice with the winners, I will also urge them to be humble realising that they could not have won by their power or might but by God’s grace.
“Validation by God and the people in itself is an admonition to continue to do good, and to exhibit generosity of spirit”, he added.
