The All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the recently conducted bye-elections in Osun state, Senator Mudashir Husain has said that despite his defeat at the poll, he and his party will return stronger and better positioned to serve the people of Osun state. Senator Husain who said the outcome of the election came to him and his party members as a surprise however said that they accepted the decision of the people of Osun in good faith.

The Senator also congratulated Mr. Ademola Adeleke for emerging winner of the election.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Sunday, declared Adeleke of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) the winner of the bye-election held in 10 local government areas of the senatorial district. The winner, who is the younger brother to the late Sen. Isiaka Adeleke, polled 97,480 votes to defeat former Sen. Mudashiru Hussein of the APC, who scored 66,116 votes.

However, in a statement issued to newsmen on Tuesday, Senator Husain said he would embark on wide consultations with the people of the state to understand why the outcome went that way so that he would be better positioned to serve them better next time. He also thanked the electorate for giving him the opportunity to serve them from 2011 to 2015.

The statement read thus:

“Last Saturday, an election was conducted to fill the vacant Osun West Senatorial seat in the National Assembly, following the demise of Senator Isiaka Adeleke, one of the leaders of our party in the state. At the end of the exercise, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ademola Adeleke, was declared the winner. I congratulate him and wish him a successful term in office.

“Osun West has a track record of robust representation in the Senate and participation in its affairs. I was elected senator on the platform of our party, the ACN/APC (Action Congress of Nigeria/All Progressives Congress) to represent this same district between 2011 and 2015. I stepped down for the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke who equally represented the district very well before his passing. It is my sincere hope that the winner will maintain this tradition of representing our constituency and our people very well.

“The outcome of the election, no doubt, was surprising to me, our political party and my teeming supporters but we take it in good faith. The people have made a choice and as a democrat, I respect their choice. The last time I contested for the same office, the people of the district gave me an overwhelming mandate. I will be eternally grateful to them.

“Nevertheless, I am deeply reflecting on the result and will embark on wide consultations with the people to understand why the outcome went that way, for us to be better prepared for subsequent elections.

“I contested on the platform of a political party with an established pedigree of representing the people and putting their interest first. Public office therefore has never been about me personally but what we can do for the people. The result of the election notwithstanding, I am committed to the ideals of progressive political leadership that make human development its central theme. I will continue to seek the economic, educational, cultural and infrastructural development of the entire district and our state in general with every fibre of my being. In or out of office, this is who we are.

“Our people should take this as a temporary setback. We have fought many battles, we have taken down giants, and we have snatched lamb from the jaws of the lion in the past. We shall return stronger and more powerfully. Election outcomes do not define who we are. We have always been as constant as the Northern Star.

“I will like to thank all the people of Osun West for making the election peaceful, devoid of rancour and violence in any form. I thank in particular all my supporters – those who came out to vote and contributed in numerous ways to my participation in the election.

“I owe a debt of gratitude to the government and the entire people of the State of Osun, especially our indefatigable governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Honourable Najim Salaam, and other political office holders – elected and appointed – in the state and at Abuja.

“My immense appreciation goes to our political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the national, state and district level for counting me worthy of flying the party’s flag; and for the unwavering support they gave me before, during and after the election.

“I thank also all our friends (at home and abroad), well-wishers, traditional rulers, market women, non-governmental organisations, students’ groups, traders, transporters, artisans, traders, journalists, security agencies and every person that believes in the progressive cause and stood by us in the election.