The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mr Tokunbo Abiru, the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of Saturday’s by-election for Lagos East Senatorial district.
The INEC Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Ademola Oremosu of the University of Lagos, declared the result at the collation centre at INEC Office in Somolu.
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Prof. Oremosu said that Abiru polled a total of 89, 204 votes to defeat his closest rival, Babatunde Gbadamosi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Babatunde Gbadamosi, who scored 11,257 votes.
Also, the APC candidate, Femi Saheed won the election for Kosofe 2 constituency with 12,494 votes to 2,068 recorded by PDP’s Ademola Alebiosu, according to the Collation Officer, Prof. Iyinola Oni.
The election was held in five Local Governments making up the senatorial district amidst voter apathy with just about five per cent of the registered voters participating in the elections.
Gbadamosi of the PDP had kicked against the outcome of the elections, alleging it was manipulated in favour of the ruling party but the APC faulted his claim.
Abiru in his victory speech said the outcome of the elections reflects the popularity of the APC.
“If there are people out there, who still doubt the popularity of our great party; who do not reckon with our leadership in this political landscape and who still dispute our progressive approach to governance, our comfortable victory in the just concluded bye-election readily offers them an infallible answer.”
Abiru promised to reciprocate the love shown to him and the party by the people of Lagos by “offering people-focused quality representation; ensuring welfare of my constituents; working with my colleagues in the National Assembly to ensure special status for Lagos; promoting policies to improve national economic performance and financial sector development….”
“We cannot afford to betray the invaluable trust our people reposed in us as a political party and as their representatives in government. Now is the time to translate all the promises we made into positive and tangible outcomes our people are expecting us to bring about. Now is the time to take our people from the realm of expectations to the limelight of fulfilment,” he said.
Abiru commended the party’s leadership especially his campaign Council for working tirelessly towards ensuring his election.
