Mohammed Oluwatimileyin Taoheed reports,
A coalition of observers that monitored the concluded gubernatorial election in Ekiti has told the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Mr. Segun Oni and other candidates to take defeat in good faith.
The coalition put a plea to Oni who had threatened to challenge the feedback of the poll, to embrace the winner and All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, Biodun Oyebanji in the overall interest of harmony and cooperation.
In a communique in Ado Ekiti, the state capital on Tuesday by the leader of the Coalition, Com. Victor Kalu, it adjudged the election free, fair and believable, noting that the exercise followed the usual international practices.
While acknowledging the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission for their outstanding display of neutrality and professionalism during the election, Kalu said the duo performed their jobs without panic nor favouritism.
Kalu said: “We, the accredited civil society election observers for the just concluded Ekiti Governorship election, therefore, adjudge the election to be free, fair, credible, and transparent.
“The exercise met the required international standard for a credible democratic election. The result should therefore be accepted by all as a true reflection of the will of Ekiti people.
“Since INEC had announced a clear winner, the rest of the candidates should see themselves as co-winners and toe the path of peace by congratulating the clear winner for the good and progress of the state”, he added.
In a commendation directed towards the INEC and security personnels, Kalu stated: “We observed during monitoring that the security agencies and INEC were duty conscious and performed their jobs dispassionately without fear or favour.
“They indeed saw the election duty as a national assignment and acted accordingly.
“To improve our electoral process, INEC and political parties and other stakeholders especially the civil society groups should engage in civil voter education and mobilisation before election and encourage impressive voter participation during elections”.
