God Used Obaseki To Fight Godfatherism, Says Wike

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council for the Edo State governorship election, Nyesom Wike has reacted to the just concluded election in the state.

Wike, who is also Rivers State Governor, said congratulated the PDP candidate and incumbent governor, Godwin Obaseki, on his electoral victory in the poll.

Addressing PDP supporters in Benin, Wike said God used Obaseki to end godfatherism in Edo State.

“Let me now formally introduce the newest governor, the man who God used to fight godfatherism. If for nothing, we have achieved that there is nothing called godfatherism again in Edo politics.

“Edo people have spoken and Edo people have said ‘look, we cannot alter our fate on one man’s hands. That was what Edo people did yesterday,” he said.

Obaseki polled 307,955 votes to defeat his closest rival APC’s Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who garnered 223,619 to win a second term as governor of Edo State.

INEC Returning Officer for the poll, Professor Akpofure Rem-Rukeh, declared the governor as the winner on Sunday at the office of the electoral umpire in Benin City, which doubled as the final collation centre.

“That Godwin Obaseki of PDP having satisfied the requirements of the law in meeting the 25 per cent in two-third of the local government areas in the state and having a margin of lead higher than the cancelled votes is hereby declared the winner and returned elected,” Professor Rem-Rukeh who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Petroleum Resources, stated.

A total of 14 political parties fielded candidates to jostle for the office of the governor in the state.

It is the first governorship poll to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) since the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.