Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja
Bayelsa State governor-elect David Lyon on Monday said he would not disappoint the people.
He pledged to tackle insecurity and lead the state to unprecedented development.
Lyon was among other All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders who visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Monday.
He told State House correspondents: “It is one of the greatest days in my life; a great day because the great people of Bayelsa have spoken their minds by taking the time to vote for our great party, APC.
“It is indeed a welcome development because at our campaigns we promised that when elected and sworn in, security and development will be our key agenda and with the support of Bayelsans they have made this possible.
“Today, on behalf of my APC leaders, I promise Bayelsans that, we will serve them and not them to serve us. We also promise to respect leadership, which is key for us. Today, their votes have been counted and the people of Bayelsa will be respected.
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“I am sincerely grateful to our father, the president of this country, for his fatherly advice this afternoon (yesterday). As one of his sons in APC, we want to say we Bayelsans will not disappoint APC.
“We will consult with our leaders, traditional rulers and I believe there will be a serious positive change in Bayelsa State.
“This incoming administration will make Bayelsans see positive developments and that is key to us. Thank you so much for having me here today as governor-elect of Bayelsa State.”
Earlier in a statement, Lyon urged his opponent and the opposition to join him in developing the state.
Lyon promised to unite the people irrespective of party differences.
The governor-elect said he was overwhelmed that the people resisted intimidation and heavy financial inducement to vote for him.
Lyon, in a statement signed by his media aide, Chief Gift Ebiki, described his victory and APC as a divine assignment to salvage the people from the shackles of guided oppression and internal colonialism.
Lyon asked his opponents to accept defeat and join him in building a better Bayelsa, adding that the state was created for everyone and not a few individuals.
He said: “We are determined to fulfil all our promises of providing security, power, love and peace and development for the people of Bayelsa.
“Bayelsa is one family, and no individual or group of persons irrespective of their political affiliations or standards can separate us from our collective destiny.
“Our victory is a victory for all Bayelsans and we are extending hands of fellowship to our brother, Senator Douye Diri, and all other contestants to join hands with us to form an all-inclusive government. There is no victor, no vanquished in politics.”
APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole said Saturday’s election was the most peaceful since 1999.
He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with the President.
Others who joined him were APC governorship campaign chairman/Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, Governor of Kebbi State and Chairman APC Governors Forum, Atiku Bagudu and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva.
Oshiomhole said: “We thanked the president for his fatherly role and his insisting that we must ensure that while we are determined to win the election, that we must play by the rule and ensure that the process is transparent.
“And above all, the president has always been concerned about the peaceful election and we were proud to inform him that besides very isolated cases of ballot box snatching, the election in Bayelsa can be described as the most peaceful.
“I believe since 1999, you as very seasoned journalists who have covered elections in Bayelsa in the past, you will agree that this is the only time we can say the election is truly transparent and peaceful.”
Praising former President Goodluck Jonathan, who warmly received the delegation of APC governorship campaign for Bayelsa state, Oshiomhole also said that the governor-elect was easy to sell because he is a good product.
Bagudu said the election was not only free and fair but that the former President Jonathan of the PDP was happy with the victory of the party’s candidate, Lyon.
Bagudu said: “Many people worked hard in making this happen, most importantly, Mr President, who has always shown the party that win or lose, we should aim for free, transparent and fair elections.
“That is what will guarantee peace, confer legitimacy and support for elected persons to proudly execute the mandate that they are given. And in Bayelsa, we have seen a demonstration of that.”
Sylva said the victory was made even easier by the party’s choice of acceptable candidate and the misgovernance of the outgoing governor, Seriake Dickson of the PDP.
He noted that the victory now gives the APC more national look, with a footprint in the Niger Delta, which is very vital to the strength of the ruling party.
Sylva said: “It’s been a very hectic week but I will like to bring in this Eritrean proverb, that if you marry a wife very well, you will be blessed with another wife. Governor Dickson, unfortunately, made our job very easy because he married the wife very badly.
“Of course, this proverb pre-supposes that if you marry a wife badly, you will not get another wife. So he did not marry the state very well, so the state roundly rejected him.
“Like it’s been said earlier, we had a good candidate and when you have a good product it’s very easy to sell it. So we went round and sold this good to Bayelsans and the result was an overwhelming success.”
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