The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated its candidate in the Edo State Governorship Election, Godwin Obaseki, for his re-election, describing the victory as historic.
The party in a statement signed by the on Sunday also noted that it is a lesson for all leaders to learn from.
They commended the electoral process and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to “continue to toe this new line of allowing for electoral uprightness, history will be beckoned to be kind to him”.
“On account of the reverberation of this victory across the length and breadth of our country, the@OfficialPDPNig implores President @MBuhari to continue in this newfound spirit of ensuring that the people are allowed to freely choose their leaders at all elections,” the party said.
It was a dramatic process that saw Obaseki run the governorship race against Ize-Iyamu for a second time in four years.
Both men faced each other in 2016, albeit with Obaseki flying the flag of the APC and Ize-Iyamu flying that of the PDP.
A political rift between the governor and Oshiomhole which spiraled beyond the state to national politics, saw both men switch parties and square up against each other on platforms they once criticised.
The campaign, characterised by drama and controversy that did not spare the State House of Assembly, was tempered by the intervention of the Oba of Benin to calm fears that the poll could turn violent.
A peace accord was also signed by all the candidates days before the poll as stakeholders made concerted efforts to ensure a successful poll.
In the run-up to the election, Governor Obaseki had reiterated severally that his victory will mark the end of ‘godfatherism’ in the state and ultimately, the country.
For the party, the victory is a loud lesson to the ‘godfathers’ that power belongs only to God.
“To the “political godfathers”, this election must serve as a loud lesson that power belongs only to God, which He confers through the people; and that no matter how an individual strives to lord it over others, the will of God, through the people, will always prevail.
They also thanked the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Yakubu Mahmood for ensuring that the election was conducted in a manner that was largely adjudged to be free, fair, transparent and credible.
“Nigerians hope that what we have witnessed in Edo state will not be an off-season procedure in the commission. We demand that this credible process applies to all our elections,” the PDP said.
