27th April, 2011
Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko on Wednesday thanked the people of the state for voting his party, the Labour Party, both at the National Assembly and the Houses of Assembly Elections and for refusing to be intimidated during the elections.
According to the governor, the conduct of the people of the state and Nigerians as a whole all through the 2011 elections showed that the era of imposition and desperation by those who wish to lord it over the people perpetually was gone for ever in the nation.
According to him, the victory of LP in Ondo State in the just concluded elections into the Senate, Federal House of Representatives and the State House of Assembly would further propel the Labour Party-controlled government in the state to be more focused and take decisions that will benefit the majority of the people.
Mimiko expressed happiness that the people kept faith with his government by voting candidates of the Labour Party (LP) in the two elections as well as heeding the special plea for them to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan in line with the directives of the national Secretariat of the LP and assured that their absolute faith in him had spurred him to do more and ensure that Ondo State becomes the cynosure of all eyes.
The LP candidates in the April 9 Election swept the 3 Senatorial tickets up for grabs in the state, won 8 out of the 9 House of Representatives seats and cleared 25 out of the 26 seats in the State House of Assembly that were contested for by all the political parties in the state on Tuesday.
It equally delivered the state for Mr President in the April 14 Presidential Election.
In a release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Kolawole Olabisi, Governor Mimiko said the outcome of the election was the true wish of the people whom he noted did a similar thing during the 2007 elections despite threats, intimidation and harassment from those who were in positions of authority then.
“I want to thank you the good people of Ondo State for the way you heeded our clarion call to troop out and cast your votes for those who you want to represent you. We are happy that you all not only voted but ensured that your votes counted. We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of goodwill from you and we commend how you braved the inclement weather and refused to be intimidated, bribed and coerced despite attempts by some unscrupulous persons who went about with sacks of money to bribe their way into office.
” In all these, you stood firm, voted and waited for the results of the votes cast to be announced before you went home; we are truly proud of you. We thank God, we have come a long way and we must thank Him for where we are today. In all of these elections, the National Assembly election, presidential election and the House of Assembly election, the voting pattern, the way our people have responded to Labour Party will only serve as a further challenge for us to continue to take the decisions that will add value to our people in Ondo State.
“Like I have said, there are major adversaries here, the issue of poverty, mass poverty is what we are tackling, mass unemployment, I’m sure by the grace of God we’ll be victorious. I thank the people again for voting for Labour party. I thank them for comporting themselves peacefully throughout the election period.
“On our part as a government, we will continue to serve you better and we can assure you that the best is yet to come; Ondo State will continue to shine and with your support and prayers, we will continue to bring to you the real dividends of democracy.
“With your support, we have begun a quiet revolution in Ondo State and, by the Grace of God Almighty, we will make Ondo State the best-administered state in Nigeria and the cynosure of all eyes of which all its citizens shall be proud.
“We have been working for you and we will continue to work for you in order to ensure that in the Ondo State of our destination, equity, justice and fairness shall be the driving force of governmental actions at all times.
“We shall not relent in our resolve to continue to mobilise the people of this State to harness all our God-given resources, create wealth and use wealth for the ends of individual happiness and for the collective fulfilment and peaceful co-habitation of all in an environment of transparent and honest leadership. This is our solemn pledge and with your support, we shall continue to lift Ondo State to greater heights that will beat your wildest imaginations. I thank you all,†Mimiko said.
