President Muhmmadu Buhari and some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors have congratulated the incumbent Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, over his victory in last Saturday’s gubernatorial election.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President while saying that he restated his “commitment to free and fair elections,” urged Obaseki to show grace and humility in victory.
Buhari 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.
I have consistently advocated 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.
Following the he peaceful conduct of the election, the President further praised the people of the state, security agencies, the parties that participated.
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In their congratulatory messages, Governors Ben Ayade ( Cross River), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), praised Buhari and security agencies for the peaceful conduct of the poll.
According to Ayade, Obaseki’s victory did not come as a surprise to him considering his achievements in the past four years.
The Cross River State Governor, however, urged Obaseki to see his “victory as a clarion call to do more for Edo people who have these four years reposed their confidence in you,” adding that he was delighted that Obaseki’s re-election “now brings the entire South-south under PDP’s total control.”
On his part, Ikpeazu said he was particularly pleased that Buhari stood firm on the side of our constitutional democracy and recognised the rights of the people to freely elect their own leaders by maintaining an admirable level of neutrality in the election.
He added:
The result of the election shows clearly that the people of Edo State were not prepared to circumscribe their sovereignty under any circumstances.
They have spoken clearly that no one can take away their rights to choose their own leader,” Ikpeazu stated..
Tambuwal, a former speaker of the House of Representatives attributed Obaseki’s re-election to team spirit by the PDP and its willingness to stick to the rules.
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri in his message congratulated Obaseki, saying that people’s power, as expressed in the Edo election, remained the most potent force in any democracy
Diri, in a statement by his Acting Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, also praised INEC, for upholding democracy and allowing the will of Edo people to prevail.
He hailed the PDP for securing yet another victory in Edo, saying he was particularly delighted that all the states in the South-south now belong to the PDP family.
Also, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, described Obaseki’s victory as the end of godfatherism in Edo State politics.
Emmanuel, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary and Senior Special Assistant, Media, Ekerete Udoh, congratulated the governor, saying re-election was well-deserved.
Meanwhile, David Umahi of Ebonyi State, said that Obaseki’s re-election rekindled hope in the nation’s democracy and the electoral process.
In the same vein, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, described Obaseki’s victory as a true reflection of the wishes of Edo people and not the machinations of some individuals and self-made godfathers.