2023 Presidential Election, Most Credible, Says ADP Campaign DG

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

The Director General of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) presidential campaign in the 2023 elections, Kemi Elebute-Halle, has described the just concluded presidential election as one of the most credible elections in the country.

Elebute-Halle, who was the first female governorship candidate in Ekiti State, spoke with newsmen in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, Wednesday, noting that the election which produced the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, as the winner was credible and represents the expectations of many Nigerians.

She maintained that the outcome of the election should be accepted by other candidates in the contest in the interest of the nation, adding that the development of the country should be the priority of every citizen.

According to her, the electorate who trooped out on February 25, voted their conscience and chose leaders with integrity, values and competence without any form of inducement or ethnic sentiment.

The ADP Campaign DG said political actors and the stakeholders in the polity should pick lessons from the election, which she said returned power to the people to make their choices to advance the nation’s democracy.

She stated that for the president-elect to deliver on his campaign promises and bring greatness to the nation, he should engage competent and capable hands to drive his policies and programmes.

Elebute-Halle expressed optimism of his capabilities to make positive contributions to the country, considering his antecedents when he was governor in Lagos State.

She said: “Let me quickly say that last Saturday’s election was perhaps one of the most credible and transparent election in recent time. I think this is the second aside from that of the 2015 that brought President Muhammadu Buhari.

“There is a lot of lessons to be learnt from this election because people voted for values, integrity and competence without inducement. People made their choices irrespective of cultural and ethnic background.

“I don’t think anybody should question this election. No one thought Tinubu could be defeated in his Lagos but it happened and that is the beauty of democracy.

“I will advise the president-elect to choose people with character and credibility to work with him. I will appreciate people with competency to be in his government. People had some fears about his age but I know he can do it. He is a blessing and should be a thing of joy for us.

“He has groomed a lot of people across the country. He is vibrant and should select people carefully in the interest of the country.”

On the expectations from the president-elect, the former governorship candidate urged him to give women more opportunity in his administration to the tune of least 40 per cent representation.

“This election is for women and youths and our president-elect should get women in his government because most people that voted especially in my units on the day of election were women. 

“We can do better and contribute to national development as women and we will like him to give us our rightful place, at least 40 percentage in his cabinet, it is possible, he can do it,” she said.