A member of the House of Representatives, Raheem Olawuyi, says the victory of the APC candidate in Saturday’s Kwara House Assembly by-election is a testimony of the party’s acceptance.
He said this in a statement issued by his media office and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Omu-Aran, on Monday.
Olawuyi, who represents Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency, said that the victory was due to the party’s popularity and endorsement of its programmes and policies.
It would be recalled that late Ahmed Rufai, the APC member that represented Pategi Constituency, had died on Dec. 3, 2019 at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) during a brief Illness.
His seat was subsequently declared vacant by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) paving the way for Saturday’s by-election in Patigi State Constituency.
The outcome of the election showed that the APC candidate, Adam Rufai, was declared winner of the election having scored the highest number of votes.
Rufai scored 10, 354 votes against the PDP candidate and closest rival, Mohammed Yahaya, who scored 4,623 votes.
The federal lawmaker noted that the victory was also a justification of the party’s taking over of leadership in the state following its landslide victory in the 2019 general elections.
He said the administration in the state had remained focused and resolute in promoting good governance inspite of notable challenges.
“The victory has shown that the party’s emergence as the ruling party in the state after the last general elections was well deserved, justifiable and not a fluke after all.
“The outcome of this election is a clear indication of the party’s acceptance, popularity and endorsement of its people-oriented programmes and policies by the electorate since assumption of office.
“There are lots of doubt and misgivings in some quarters over the party’s chances in the election, which serve as a litmus test of its acceptance and popularity.
“But candidly, the victory has in no small measure justified that the APC remains the party to beat and is solidly on the ground across the 16 councils of the state,” he said.
Olawuyi said he was committed to promoting the desired good governance and transformation envisioned for the people of the constituency.
“This is talking about the various people-oriented projects and initiatives the constituency has witnessed, especially in the areas of health, education, transport, skills, entrepreneurship, vocations and human capital development.
“These are just a tip of the Iceberg as more of such projects and initiatives toward improving the living standard of the people of the constituency are already in the pipeline,” he said.
Olawuyi urged the people of his constituency and the state at large to continue to keep faith with the party in bringing about the desired socio-economic development to every nook and cranny of the state. (NAN)
