Obaseki’s victory: President Buhari commends election process in Edo; Urges humility; Reiterates commitment to free, fair polls

President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the election process in Edo State which led to the victory of Governor Godwin Obaseki as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The President congratulated the winner and urged him to show grace and humility in victory.

In his reaction to the outcome of the election, President Buhari, according to a statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) said: “My commitment to free and fair elections is firm, because without free and fair elections, the foundation of our political and moral authority will be weak.”

The President added: “I have consistently advocated for free and fair elections in the country because it is the bedrock of true democratic order.
“Democracy will mean nothing if the votes of the people don’t count or if their mandate is fraudulently tampered with.”

He commended the people of Edo State, the parties, candidates and security agencies for conducting themselves responsibly.

INEC had, on Sunday concluded the Sept. 19, Edo governorship polls with the declaration of incumbent Gov. Obaseki, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as winner.

Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta, and the Returning Officer for the election, announced the result after its collation in Benin.
He said that Obaseki polled a total of 307,955 votes to defeat the closest rival and the All Progressives Congress (APC), candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu who scored 223,619.
A total of 14 candidates participated in the contest which had the total number of accredited voters for the election at 557,443 and total valid votes votes as 537,407.
The rejected votes were 12,835 and the total number of votes cast was 550,242.
Prof. Rim-Rukeh announced that Obaseki, having scored the highest number of votes was therefore declared the winner of the election.
Obaseki won in 13 of the 18 Local Governments Areas of the state, namely, Orhionmwon, Igueben, Owan West , Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, Esan West, Esan Central, Esan South East, Esan North East, Uhumwode, Egor, Ovia North East and Ovia South West.
At the collation centre the Collation Officer for Etsako Central, however, disclosed that an INEC official was shot and another INEC staff member was injured on the face.
He noted that both of them were battling with their lives in an undisclosed hospital.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that there were records of invalid votes in some polling units across the 18 local government areas.
NAN reports that the returning officer released the scores for the candidates prior to the declaration of PDP as the winner.
The scores are as follows:
A A 107
ADC 1370
ADP 2374
APC 223, 619
APGA 177
APN 57
ADP 78
LP 267
NNPP 258
NRM 573
PDP 307, 955
SDP 323
YPP 132
ZLP 117
Meanwhile, Obaseki in a brief acceptance speech dedicated the victory to the collective resolve of the Edo electorate to destroy God fatherism in the state.