Date: 2015-04-01

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology and Environment, Senator Bukola Saraki and his sister, Gbemisola, have lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting transparent, free, fair and credible elections in Kwara State.

Senator Saraki spoke with journalists in Ilorin yesterday on the outcome of the last Saturday polls in the state where his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), won all the nine National Assembly seats and the presidential poll, while his sister, Gbemisola made her commendation in a statement issued on Tuesday.

They agreed that there was no doubt that the conduct of both presidential and parliamentary elections in the state was peaceful.

Senator Saraki also praised the security agencies for ensuring that the elections in the state were conducted under a peaceful and orderly atmosphere.

According to him, “it is clear that the people of Kwara State have spoken loud and clear with their votes through the ballot box, they have also demonstrated their unflinching commitment to democracy and the progress of Kwara State in particular and Nigeria as a whole. I urge all politicians and key stakeholders to listen to the voice of the people.”

While thanking the people of the state for their support for APC, Saraki said, “on our part, we in the APC will continue to stand on the side of the people. We will continue to put in our best in order to ensure further social, economic and infrastructural development in all parts of Kwara State. We will continue to fight for what is in the best interest of Kwara and Nigeria.

“We have consistently shown that we feel the pain of the masses. We have stayed true and committed to their cause. We share their dreams and aspirations. We will therefore remain steadfast in our quest of building the Kwara they deserve.

“The people have clearly opted for focused, dependable and reliable leadership and a rejection of dying minute politicians.

“I will give effect to my renewed mandate in the Senate by ensuring that I continue to address those issues that will bring about progress and development to my primary constituents and Nigeria at large. I promise to put in more effort, to address key issues such as youth employment, poverty, education, health and the environment. I will also continue to advocate for legislations that will strengthen our institutions so as to eradicate corruption, misuse and abuse of office.”

Also, in her statement issued in Ilorin yesterday by Gbemisola Rukayyah Saraki, signed by an aide, Mallam Abdulkarim Alabi expressed her delight over the peaceful conduct of both the presidential and parliamentary elections in Kwara State.

According to her, “The reports available to us across the 16 local government areas of Kwara State indicate that the election went peacefully and orderly, without a single case of violence. For all intent and purposes, the elections were freely, fairly and credibly conducted”.

Gbemi, who commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting what has been globally acclaimed the most credible elections in the Nigerian political history, said, “INEC is particularly commended over the innovation of card reader, which has practically revolutionised election conduct in Nigeria and by plausible implication, the African continent.

“It is noteworthy that despite pockets of complaints over the card readers, the technology played a significant role in curbing rigging and all other forms of electoral malaise,” she said.

She also commended the people of the state for coming out enmasse to exercise their right, stressing that, “The fact that Nigerians braced all odds and came out enmasse to cast their votes for the candidates of their choice is an indication that Nigerian democracy has come of age.”