Posted by From MOSHOOD ADEBAYO, Abeokuta on
Amidst controversies surrounding the victory of the Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel which is still being contested at the Election Tribunal, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the People Democratic Party's candidate won the April 14, 2007 governorship election 'convincingly."
Amidst controversies surrounding the victory of the Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel which is still being contested at the Election Tribunal, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the People Democratic Party's candidate won the April 14, 2007 governorship election 'convincingly."
The INEC boss also stated: 'only President (Umaru) Yar'Adua could have won the 2007 Presidential election."
However, Iwu,who had incurred the wrath of the opposition political parties since the election believed to have been fraught with irregularities did not elaborate on this statement when he visited Daniel at the Government House, Abeokuta, the state capital.
Agreeing that the 2007 was not perfect, Iwu said: 'I still hold and still believe that only the governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, won the 2007 governorship election convincingly. I also hold and still believe that only President Yar'Adua could have won the Presidential election.
According to the (INEC) chairman, all the candidates that emerged victorious in the controversial election were the true choices of the electorate.
He told the governor that he was on a tour of some states in the South West and Lagos in connection with the review of the voters' registration and the review of the nation's constituencies.
Iwu lamented that although the conduct of the elections received so much knocks, it was still better 'to have a not-so-perfect election" than the violence that had attended similar exercises in some African countries.
'The 2007 election was not perfect but one of the things that happened in Kenya had shown us that it is better to have a not-so-perfect election than the anarchy, killings and violence that happened in the country. In 2007, Nigerians looked the truth in the face, which is one difficult thing to do," he said.
In his response, Daniel who showered encomiums on his guest stated that the most difficult job in Nigeria was that of the Chairman of INEC.
'It is difficult to be the referee in a match of this nature in Nigeria. The winner of an election cannot defend INEC; otherwise, the person who loses will say ‘you see that's why he's defending INEC.' The loser cannot be happy with INEC because he has every cause to blame INEC.
'But I'm highly elated that you have stood by the truth in the face of several complaints. I'm still waiting to see where those initially declared winners and whose elections were nullified have not been returned to their posts." Daniel concluded.