By TEMIBI SAMUEL

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just-concluded House of Representatives election in Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency, Olaiya Michael Olobatoke, alias OMO, has expressed his gratitude to the leaders of the party, his campaign team, and the people of the constituency for their unalloyed support from the beginning of the campaign to the end of the electoral process culminating in his election.

Olobatoke polled a total of 10,967 votes to clinch the third position while Salman Idris of ADC gathered 13,867 to defeat APC which scored 13,605 votes.

Olobatoke, after the election was declared inconclusive by the INEC Returning Officer owing to the slim margin between the ADC and APC, promised the people of his uncompromising ideology towards securing a social security, Justice and fostering of unity among the people of the constituency.

“Thank you, great and good people of Kabba-Bunu/ Ijumu federal constituency, you have expressed your acceptance, love and support for our mandate at the polls and I must say it is overwhelmingly awesome that we enjoy such unanimous support as great as this. I appreciate you all and will not take this for granted.

“Your support as individuals and collectively have been a major driving force for this mandate from the pre-party primaries to this current stage. Thank you for your solidarity. The election went as it were, and although the effects are here, but that has however not in any way compromised our progressive ideology of social security and justice, capacity building, inclusiveness, and adequate representation/leadership, to foster unity and shared prosperity.

“We are fully aware of the build-ups and conduct of the election and will definitely not compromise that which is just and right for the people. We encourage our teeming supporters, party faithful, and loved ones to keep calm and go about their lawful businesses even as we are still studying and analyzing the electoral data and results from the election. I am optimistic and confident about a better, by far, Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency where our dreams and aspirations as a people will become realities. We can, and together we will make it better,” he said.