The Governor-Elect of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has thanked the residents of the state for voting him into office, pledging not to take their mandate for granted.

On Monday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Yusuf the winner of the March 18 governorship poll in the state. He polled 1,019,602 votes to defeat his closest contender, Nasir Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who raked in 890,705 votes.

In his acceptance speech in Kano, the Governor-Elect said his administration would prioritise quality education, empowerment programmes, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship, and the completion of abandoned projects in the state.

“We are profoundly grateful and will not take your mandate for granted,” Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) said.

“Despite the fact that our party, the NNPP, is relatively new, coupled with the fact that the logo of our party was poorly depicted on the ballot paper, in addition to the widespread electoral violence, you still gave me your mandate.”

According to Yusuf, his administration would be an offshoot of the Kwankwaso administration, affirming that he would uphold and continue with the Kwankwasiyya philosophy and style of governance.

He explained that he will pursue a programme of free maternal healthcare and the provision of an atmosphere conducive to the development of businesses in the state.

The governor-elect appreciated the entire people of the state for their courage, loyalty, commitment, and resolve to defend their sovereign right and ensure the integrity of democracy in the state.

Earlier on Monday, Kano residents took to the street to celebrate the election victory of Yusuf who defeated the ruling APC in the North-Western state.

They defied the dawn-to-dusk curfew imposed by the Kano State Government to prevent a breakdown of law and order amid mounting tensions during the collation of results.

Source:channelstv.com