BY OLA AJAYI

IBADAN – THE daughter of the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akunjide, SAN, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, has accepted defeat in the National Assembly election held last Saturday.

In an emotion-laden speech, she said swallowing the bitter pill of defeat was not easy .

Akinjide contested the senatorial election in Oyo Central on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  but lost to the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Hon. Ayoade Adeseun.

While Ayoade polled 105,975 votes, she scored 78,643 votes.

She said in a statement that “I worked hard and I fought hard through the primary and through the general election to make history by becoming Oyo State’s first female senator. To accept defeat is never easy but when voters freely choose their leaders through the ballot box disappointment must be tempered by humble acceptance of the people’s verdict and their wishes”.

She applauded the efforts of the INEC in Oyo State to conduct elections that were, on the whole, credible and peaceful.

She highlighted some of the life transforming programmes she organised for the people in the state.

Her words; “Between January 2010 and April 2011, the Olajumoke Akinjide Foundation provided free surgical treatment for over 7,000 people in Oyo Central’s 11 Local Government as well as free malaria and typhoid medications”.

The passion to serve with which she launched her campaigns, she explained,  had only strengthened her and she would continue to seek new ways to empower the people of Oyo State in years to come. She thanked her numerous supporters for participating in the elections.