Benue, Nasarawa governors-elect receive certificate of return

• INEC accredits 10 journalists to cover presentation in Plateau today
• CAN congratulates Niger governor-elect

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued Certificate of Return to Benue State Governor-elect, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia and House of Assembly members-elect.

INEC’s Director of Communication and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, gave the certificates to the governor-elect, the deputy governor-elect, Dr. Sam Ode and the 32 members-elect of the state Assembly at the Precious Event Centre, yesterday, in Makurdi.

Rev. Fr. Alia, who spoke on behalf of the recipients, said he was confident that the members-elect would create a harmonious and conducive executive/legislative working environment that would benefit the people of the state.

He, therefore, pledged to reciprocate the trust reposed in him by Benue State electorate.

Earlier, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Sam Egwu, urged the governor-elect to focus on good governance by delivering the dividends of democracy to Benue people.

ALSO, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has received his certificate of return from INEC.

Sule, after receiving his certificate of re-election, yesterday, however, appealed to those who feel aggrieved to take their case to court.

The governor described his victory as the mandate and support of the people and promised to remain transparent in his administration.

MEANWHILE, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State, has congratulated the governor elect, Umar Mohammed Bago, on his victory in the March 18, 2023 polls.

The State CAN Chairman, Most Revd. Dr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, in a statement signed by the Secretary, Pastor Raphael Opawoye, charged Bago to hit the ground running.

The statement reads: “Your emergence is a welcome development and we do hope you will hit the ground running as you face this daunting task. The work starts now; it is time to write your name in gold.

“The fact that you have goodwill from across board should make the task easy for you and we hope that you will make Nigerlites proud of you.”

RELATEDLY, INEC in Plateau State has restricted the number of journalists that will cover the presentation of certificates of return to successful candidates of the governorship and House of Assembly elections.

The presentation will take place this morning at the INEC office in Jos.

The plan to restrict journalists to cover the presentation runs contrary to the age-long practice of the commission.

When confronted, the spokesman of INEC in the state was not ready to comment but started shouting on top of his voice when some journalists approached him to get the list of the 10 “lucky” journalists that the commission would allow to cover the event.

They insisted on getting accredited and stood their ground.