We deserve commendation on Osun poll – FG

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, yesterday said the Federal Government deserved commendation on the outcome of the Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.

He spoke at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos on the sidelines of the commissioning of a multimillion dollars in-flight catering facility.

He also faulted criticisms trailing the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission to declare the election inconclusive, adding that the All Progressives Congress submitted to the decision of the INEC not because it did not have complaints to make, but because of its belief in the rule of law.

He said it was unfortunate that many people had short memory as similar circumstance was witnessed in 2015 during the governorship election in Kogi State where the APC was in a clear lead.

Mohammad also said the election was not a vote of no confidence on the APC government as being insinuated, saying every politics has its local peculiarities.

He said: “You see people have very short memory. I must tell you they exhibit a lot of ignorance. How many people remember today that in 2015, the governorship election in Kogi was suspended even when the APC was leading with 90,000 votes.

“And there were reruns ordered in about 90 polling units or so. So what happened in Osun has nothing to do with whether APC was winning or not winning or it is in government. It is the prerogative of the Independent National Electoral Commission to decide whether an election is concluded or not.

“If this had happened four years ago, they would have declared victory for the PDP but you can see that this is a government that believes in rule of law and fair play and that is why we submitted to the decisions of INEC, not that we didn’t have things to contest. We have a lot of things to contest also but we submitted to the decision of INEC because we believe in rule of law.”