INEC denies issuing directive to distort Abia governorship election
The Zamfara Governor-elect, Dr Dauda Lawal-Dareon, has said that he will prioritise five critical sectors of the state ecomy on assumption of office.
Lawal-Dare said this in a statewide broadcast to thank the people of the state for electing him Governor in Saturday’s polls.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him Governor in the early hours of Tuesday.
The State INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Kassimu Shehu, said that Lawal-Dare polled 377,726 votes to defeat Gov. Bello Matawalle, who scored 311,976 votes.
According to him, Zamfara and its people have faced serious setback in the areas of Security, Education, Health, Agriculture, Commerce and Industry as well as infrastructure development.
He said that he joined the governorship race “to rescue the state from its dilapidated condition”.
The bad state of Zamfara, he said, contributed immensely to the security challenges in the state.
He thanked the electorate for their resilience in voting for him en masse in the poll.
The Governor-elect said that voting out an incumbent Governor was not an easy task.
“But the electorate, feeling dissatisfied with the style of the APC administration in the state voted the party out,” he said.
He promised not to betray the trust bestowed on him by the people of Zamfara.
Lawal-Dare also lauded the security agencies for the adequate protection provided during the polls up until the declaration of the results.
“Without the support of the security forces, the exercise would have failed.
“I also commend you members of the media for the enormous publicity given to my campaign, from the beginning to the declaration of the results.
“Thank you and you remain our stakeholders,” Lawal-Dare said.
He further commended women and the youths for their massive support and staking their lives to secure their votes during the exercise.
He urged the people to remain law abiding while celebrating the victory, saying that his government is for all the people of the state.
“I can assure you that Zamfara will never be the same again.
“We shall work for a better Zamfara and better you,” he said.
Lawal-Dare, born on September 2, 1965, was a successful banker, who later became an Executive Director, First Bank of Nigeria.
