He said that their attempts to come back in their respective constituencies have failed as they were punished with rejection by their people “for being disloyal and monetizing their mandates.”
Oshiomhole, who spoke to news men shortly after he formally presented the Bayelsa State governor-elect, David Lyon to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, November 18, said: “I think the lesson for us to be learnt as a party is rather clear that when politicians go to the polls to collect mandate on a particular political platform and then they dump the party for another party, the electorate will always be waiting for them.
“Over time, we are likely to see people, out of fear for the electorate, not monetizing their mandate after they are elected.”
The APC chairman said that the last of the runaway politician still seeking to return in another part, Senator Dino Melaye would soon be shown the way out.
“I think the only one that is still struggling now is Dino Melaye, but as you can see from the result so car, Senator Smart Adeyemi is leading by over 20,000 votes even though INEC insists we must have a re-run for the remaining areas. We are confident that there is no way he can make up for 20,000 vote deficit.”
Oshiomhole said that President Buhari received the governor-elect warmly and offered him pieces of advice.
According to him, President Buhari insisted that “we must ensure that while we are determined to win the election, we must play by the rule and ensure that the process is transparent.
“The president has always been concerned about peaceful election and we were proud to inform him that besides very isolated cases of ballot box snatching, the election in Bayelsa can be described as the most peaceful.
“I believe since 1999, you as very seasoned journalists who have covered elections in Bayelsa in the past, you will agree that this is the only time we can say the election is truly transparent and peaceful.
“Again, our candidate attracted supports across the political divides. When you see territories and communities where his victory was being celebrated, you will agree that not only did he had the support of the APC family, he had support beyond the APC family.
“And of course, the president was very happy that we had a peaceful election in Bayelsa state.”
