Jubilant residents of Benin took to the streets celebrating the re-election of Adams Oshiomhole as Governor of Edo State on Sunday.
The residents despite the heavy downpour, danced round the city in long convoy of vehicles. Youths rode on top of cars and buses, performing stunts and chanting “Oshio Baba,” and “Osho Baba,” continuously.
The re-elected governor Oshiomhole, who beat his counterparts by polling 477,478 votes in Saturday’s election in the state, joined the crowd at the city centre to move round Ring Road, Sapele Road, Ogbelaka Street and Sakponba Road in the capital city.
As at 8.30am, traffic came to a halt within the city as commercial motorcyclists, bus and taxi drivers, artisans and traders held aloft brooms, the symbol of Oshiomhole’s Action Congress of Nigeria hold of brooms which they waved rhythmically as they danced round town.
Before Oshimhole joined the celebration dance, the crowd had defied gun-toting security personnel to congregate at the gate of the governor’s residence.
Addressing the supporters, Oshiomhole, who described his victory as a true reflection of people’s wish, said, “God has blessed our project. It is finished. Now is the time to give thanks to God…I thank you for standing on your feet. On our feet, we shall fight for freedom; we shall never go on our knees. You young ones must remember that this fight was and is for your tomorrow. It’s for your freedom, your right to choose who governs you. We must make a statement that election riggers are out of business. What we owe is to sustain the development programmes”
The governor also addressed journalists after attending a thanksgiving service at St. Paul’s Catholic Church on Sunday in Benin. He said the outcome of the poll had shown that Edo people were one and a united people.
He said, “The election has dealt with ethnic considerations in conducting elections in Edo State. The vote has helped my task to unite the people of Edo State. Edo is not an artificial wall. All of us come from Benin. All of us accept that Oba of Benin, Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, is our father and we recognise it. We will transform Edo State to a level that the forces of darkness will no longer take over power in Edo State,” he declared.