The Deputy Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Funke Akindele, has broken her silence on her defeat in the March 18 elections, stating that she doesn’t regret running for office.

Akindele and her principal, Abdul-Azeez Adediran aka Jandor, were defeated by the incumbent governor and All Progressives Congress candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

On her Instagram page on Monday, she wrote, “It has been an amazing and insightful experience on my journey to the ballot, and I must say, it was an absolute learning curve for me. A lot of things have been learned and unlearned. I sincerely do not regret taking this huge step of running for office.

“I, therefore, want to thank the people of Lagos state for believing in me and supporting my decision to run for office. I saw every message of support online and offline, I heard of all the places where people supported me and challenged those who tried to discredit me.

“I remember every warm welcome during our campaign tour and the faith you all showed in me. The elections might not have panned out in the way we hoped, but it was an honourable run for us. We fought a good fight indeed, as a matter of fact.

“I also want to encourage all who mean well for the Nation and the state of Lagos not to give up. I understand that some of us are beginning to develop some sort of apathy toward the system, however, if we do not speak, we will never be heard. I’m glad that we could at least speak up.”

It was also noted that the actress has however, Wiped off all campaign related posts on her Instagram account. We wish her all the best though.

President Buhari has advised Nigerians to collect any money given to them by politicians to influence their votes and then go ahead to vote for their preferred candidate.

Vanguard reports that the President stated this after he cast his vote at polling unit 003, Sarkin Yara A in Daura, Katsina State.

The president, who briefly spoke to newsmen both in English and Hausa languages after casting his vote, said his administration had been preaching against vote-buying and monetization of politics, calling on politicians to desist from such acts.

“If they (politicians) still give you money, collect, but vote for your preferred candidates,”President Buhari said

We hope Nigerians desist from selling their votes and rights for mere little cash. And we hope the securities delegated to polling units will apprehend all those trying to buy votes.

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has stated that he has never stolen government money as he challenged his predecessors in the State to come out and swear to have never pilfered the state treasury. 

El-Rufai who said this during an interview in Hausa monitored on a local TV and Radio station, said his philosophy in governance was not to steal as he’s aware there would be a day of reckoning. 

He said; 

“I’m happy that we constructed qualitative roads that would last for years. Not those kinds of roads they’ve constructed in the past which after 2 years, after 2 rainy seasons the roads would be bad.

“We still have work to do, our plan is that we want all roads in Kaduna to be tarred. Anyone who comes to Kaduna would not see a muddy road. Every part of the town you visit will have tarred roads and solar-powered street lights. That’s what we envisaged everywhere in Kaduna, in Kafanchan, in Zaria and in all Local Government Areas such as Soba, everywhere. That is what we want to see.

“However, we couldn’t realized all our development plans because of the situation this government met. In fact, we had to seek for loan to execute those projects. 

“The people can see that we executed those projects with the loan we secured. We did not siphon the money to Dubai and bought houses or go to Jabi Road and build a mansion. 

“We are not like such people. I became the Governor of Kaduna state with only one house located at Danja Street in Unguwan Sarki Kaduna..I’ve completed my tenure, Alhamdulillah…that is my only house. I don’t have any other house.I didn’t build a mansion. I don’t even need it.

“I did not steal anybody’s money and I am challenging those who governed Kaduna to come out and swear that they‘ve never stolen money, they should swear that they’ve not taken a kobo from Kaduna State. 

“Wallahi, l am ready to swear. I am challenging them ( former Governors) to come out, face the people of Kaduna State and swear that they’ve never stolen the people’s money.

El-Rufai further explained that the past Governors are neither the children of Dantata( legendary Kano billionaire) nor the children of Dangote. He said They’ve known them right from school days. So Where do they get the money to build and do all they do if it isn’t the looted money.