Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has reacted to the victory of Monday Okpebholo, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the the governorship election in the state.
KanyiDaily reported that Monday Okpebholo was announced as the winner of the Edo Governorship Election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, September 22.
Okpebholo won the election with 291,667 votes, ahead of Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who received 247,274 votes, and Labour Party’s (LP) Olumide Akpata, who finished third with 22,761 votes.
In response to the election results, Obaseki released a statement expressing his concerns about the conduct of the election, citing violations of due process and the rule of law.
The governor urged residents to remain peaceful while encouraging those dissatisfied with the outcome of the election to seek legal remedies.
The statement reads “In the last few months, the various political parties have embarked on very rigorous campaigns to sell their respective candidates for the office of governor to the people of Edo State in an exercise which came to a climax yesterday with the gubernatorial election.
“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 a tragedy, but a travesty of democracy.
“Regrettably, the outcome of the September 21st governorship election appears to have daunted the spirit of many Edo people who feel powerless in the face of the brute force of the institutions that are supposed to protect 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 vexed and 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 gubernatorial election
“In a democracy, there are safeguards for addressing grievances, and we hope that those affected will seek resolution for this blatant disregard of law and process.
“With this in mind, I implore all Edo people to go about their lawful businesses and rest assured of the commitment of our government to your wellbeing and security.”
KanyiDaily recalls that Nigerian superstar, Davido had criticized the INEC for their handling of the Edo governorship election.
