Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has noted with pleasure the turnout of people to vote for candidates of their choice in the Edo governorship election.
Governor Wike made the observation in reaction to the general conduct of the election.
He said there was minimal violence recorded because of the proactive measures deployed by the security agencies.
Wike stated that elections do not end with voting, reminding the public that it is a process that includes counting of votes and collation.
He said with the voting concluded, there was need for both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to ensure that nothing scuttles the remaining stages.
Governor Wike expressed: ‘Like I have said before, election is not only about voting, the votes should be counted, then you proceed to collation stages; Ward, Local and State Government levels. The collation stage is the critical period.
‘So, I urge both INEC and security agencies to protect all the collation centres. When that is done, everybody who has voted will be happy to see that their will has prevailed,’ he said.
The Governor said when an electoral process is transparent with minimal violence and disenfranchisement, every participating political party would gladly accept its outcome.
‘This may likely be the best election ever conducted in the history of Nigeria. But, they must allow the process to continue to the end. Otherwise, they will destroy it.
‘If it is APC that has won, let it be so. If it is PDP that has won, let it also be so. But, I must tell that we are happy with what we have got.
‘We have field report of results of over 2,000 polling units. It shows clearly that PDP is leading.
‘I want to commend INEC so far. They have made sure that people voted in their various polling units.
‘I want to also commend the security agencies so far for also making sure that there was not much violence,’ he added.
