Eight parties concede defeat in Ogun, demandappointments

Eight political parties in Ogun State have conceded defeat to
the winner of Saturday's governorship election, Governor
Ibikunle Amosun.
The eight have also demanded from Amosun that
technocrats among their members should be considered
for appointments.
The political parties are Alliance for Democracy, Hope
Democratic Party, United Democratic Party, New Nigeria
Peoples Party, United Progressives Party, Citizens Popular
Party, Mega Progressives Peoples Party, and the Advance
Congress of Democrats.
The parties, congregating under the aegis of the Ogun State
chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria,
briefed journalists in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Chairman of the state I-PAC, Mr. Biola Martins, said the
governor should extend hand of fellowship to fellow
contestants and members of other political parties.
At the briefing, which was attended by the governorship
candidates of UDP and CPP, Biola Lawal and Oluwatoyin


Akintunde respectively, Martins said as stakeholders in the
state, they should be considered for appointments.
He said, "While we congratulate Governor Ibikunle Amosun
on his re-election, we believe the election was free and fair.
"But we want to call on the governor and the party, All
Progressives Congress, to embrace all other contestants.
"The governor should look at the other political parties, if he
finds any technocrats that can add value to the governance
in the state he should not hesitate to pick them to be part of
his team. After all, we are all citizens of Ogun State."
Martins, who said the I-PAC was satisfied with the conduct
of the elections because it was free and fair, noted that if
any candidate had any complaints he or she should follow
the rule of law by going to the tribunal for redress.
He explained that the recent elections in the state could not
be compared to what happened in 2011, where there were
cases of ballot box snatching and other forms of political
violence.
He said, "We know what we are saying when we say that the
recent elections were free and fair. Those of you who
witnessed the 2011 elections in this state would vividly
remember that there were cases of ballot box snatching
and other forms of political violence."
He commended the officials of the Independent National
Electoral Commission for taken their duties seriously by
arriving early at most polling units in the state. He also
commended the security agencies for being up to the task
in forestalling the breakdown of law and order during the
2015 elections.