* Victory call to duty – Alawe
* Learn from what led to opponent’s loss – ex-governor
* Verdict confirms constituents prefer me – Adaramodu
By John Odunjo
Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has congratulated the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, on the judgment of the National Assembly Election Tribunal, validating his electoral victory.
Also, a former Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, congratulated on the victory, describing it as a call to duty for the National Assembly member who hails from his hometown.
The tribunal, which sat in Ilorin, Kwara State, had on Monday, in its judgment in the petition filed by Peoples Democratic Party senatorial candidate, Biodun Olujimi, against the Senate spokesperson’s election, declared Adaramodu the valid winner of the Ekiti South Senatorial election.
Oba Alabi told Adaramodu that his victory at the tribunal over Olujimi was “a call to duty and that Ekiti people would be counting on him for more positive contributions in the Senate”.
The monarch, who said, “It was a victory well deserved by a hard working Senator, who is noted for dexterity in the political arena,” prayed God to grant Adaramodu “the necessary enablement to continue his good works in the development of the people of Ekiti State and Nigeria”.
Fayose, in a statement, who described Adaramodu’s victory as well-deserved, urging him to deliver on his electoral promises and learn from what lead to his victory and the fall of his opponent.
He called on politicians to always accept defeat where necessary, in the interest of democracy, adding that election is like a game of football, one team will always win while the other will lose.
Fayose said; “The judiciary has done nothing but justice and I hail the judgement as it validated the wish of the people who voted for Adaramodu.
“To me, politics should not always be about party and individual’s interests, it should be about service to the people.
“Most importantly, we don’t all have to go to court after an election. But if we have gone to court, we should also be fair enough to accept the out outcome. More so that there is still an opportunity to go the appeal Court.
“Therefore, on behalf of myself and my supporters, I congratulate him and urgent him to remain faithful to his promises to his Constituency,” Fayose said.
Adaramodu, in his reaction to the verdict, said the Judiciary had done its job by giving a fair verdict which confirmed that people of the senatorial district voted for him.
The Senate spokesperson said, “The tribunal’s verdict was fair enough, good enough and excellent enough for us to know that in the exercise of February 25 in Ekiti South, the people voted for me as senator.
It showed that the people preferred me as their senator because I had served them and served well as House of Representatives member,” Adaramodu said.
