By Ayo Kehinde
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State in a statewide broadcast on Sunday night reacted to the poll’s outcome,
Governor Obaseki said briefly that the outcome of the election was a, “blatant disregard for the rule of law and institutions of democracy.”
He said, in part; “ The attractive thing about democracy is the power it bestows on the people to choose who governs them. Therefore, when this power is blatantly seized from the people, it is not just s tragedy but a travesty of democracy.
“Regrettably, the outcome of the September 21, governorship election appears to daunted the spirit of many Edo people who feel powerful in the face of brute force of the institutions that are supposed to protest them. It is therefore understandable that many people feel sad and aggrieved, but in the midst of this despair, I am urging all my fellow Edo citizens to maintain calm and not resort to violence and destruction of property in spite of this provocation.
“Peace and justice will always win at the end. And this is my prescription to all the good people of Edo State who feel their interest violated at this time. Clearly, it is obvious to the least discerning the amount of impunity and reckless disregard for processes and law that was displayed in this governorship election. In a democracy, there are always safeguards for addressing grievances and we hope that all those affected will seek resolution for this blatant disregard for law and processes. With this in mind, I implore all Edo people to go about their businesses and rest assured that of the commitment of our government to your well-being and security.”
The Returning Officer for the election and Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, Prof Farouk Adamu Kuta, declared Okpebholo the duly elected governor on Sunday, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
He said, “I, Prof. Faruq Adamu Kuta, I certify that I’m the Returning officer for the Edo state governorship election held on September 21, 2024… That Okpebholo of the APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner of the election and returned elected.”
According to the results, Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to beat his closest rival, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Asuerinme Ighodalo, who scored 247,274.
