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Former Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated Governor of Edo, Godwin Obaseki, on his re-election, describing the just concluded election as “a huge relief”.
Ekweremadu, who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National Campaign Council for Edo, said this in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Uche Anichukwu, on Sunday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had on Sunday declared Obaseki, the candidate of the PDP, winner of the Sept. 19, governorship election in the state.
The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, declared Obaseki as winner and returned elected after collation of results in Benin.
Obaseki polled a total of 307,955 votes to defeat his closest rival and the All Progressives Congress (APC), candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu who scored 223,619.
Ekweremadu commended the people of Edo, INEC and the security agencies for “rising to the occasion”, given what he described as the “dwindling fortunes of the nation’s electoral process in recent years”.
The senator, who was in Edo to monitor the election, added that the Edo polls had proved, once again, that no man could effectively play God.
He said, “I join other well meaning Nigerians to congratulate Obaseki and the PDP on this well-deserved victory.
“While our electoral processes still leave much to be desired, I must say that compared to recent elections, the Edo governorship poll has renewed the hope that we can get our elections right.
“This is given the conduct of the electorate, INEC, security agencies, and most of other stakeholders, which ensured a peaceful process, an outcome that reflected the will of the people.
“For emphasis, the Edo 2020 election showcased the beauty of democracy; the supremacy of the people’s will over the whims and caprices of any single man or woman, be it a godfather or godmother.
“And if there is a moral lesson to be learnt, it is also that no man can successfully play God, for God will always put men in their place,” he said.
Ekweremadu urged Gov. Obaseki to see his popular mandate as both an approval of his stewardship in the last four years and a call to lead Edoland on the path of greater peace, prosperity, and an all-round development.