- Party Urges Calm, As Leaders Study Results
- Obaseki's Camp Still In Wild Jublilation
By Cosmas Enahoro (Edo State Correspondent)
As the victorious People's Democratic Party (PDP) continues in its victory dance on Sunday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo has so far rejected the results of the Saturday's governorship election, which gave PDP's Governor Godwin Obaseki victory over his APC challenger, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
The APC which alleged foul play during the election, cited strong-arm tactics for the rejection. The party insists that the results were tilted in favour of governor Obaseki. It called on its members and all lovers of democracy to stay calm, while leaders of the party studies the results and decide on the next move.
A statement by the APC Chairman of Media Campaign Council, Prince John Mayaki, said the party maintained that the party’s governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, was robbed of victory. “Our people were arbitrarily arrested, many of the figures were fabricated. There was illicit tampering with results, to shore up PDP’s numbers and mark down APC’s.
“Areas where we won, they cancelled the results. They decreased the votes in areas we had advantage. They rejected our results and jerked up theirs. There was arbitrary arrest of local party members, who could have resisted the outrage, while Obaseki was busy diverting attention with false alarm. “Obaseki shouted that he was being rigged out and blamed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the initial stage, but that was to divert attention from the evil going on in the field.”, the statement said.
APC thanked its party members and the teeming supporters of Ize-Iyamu for their support and steadfastness, which it said would never be taken for granted.
Meanwhile, hundreds of supporters of Edo Governor, Godwin Obaseki, defied the rains to celebrate his victory at the governorship election on Sunday. The celebration is still unending even as the aggrieved APC has rejected the outcome of that contentious election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Obaseki, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the polls after he scored 307,955 as against the 223,619 votes his major opponent, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu garnered.
Although Obaseki coasted to victory from early results from wards and local government collation centres early Sunday morning, Benin Metropolis was calm until the Resident Electoral Officer (REC) announced him winner around 2:39pm.
As soon as the announcement was made, the city erupted with vehicles blarring sirens and honking nonstop. Within minutes, various groups of convoys surfaced across major streets and neighbourhood as though they had gathered in a place and awaiting a final whistle.
From Ihama Road in GRA to Sapele Road and Ring Road, the jubilants, who mostly had the PDP flag on them hung on the sides of vehicles or sat atop, while others were seen dangerously riding power bikes and shouting “4 +4” “Ogbene.” Chanting victory songs, the jubilants were seen dancing in front of their homes, places of businesses saying “Edo people don talk. Na Obaseki we want.”
A taxi driver who gave his name as Jude told our Correspondent that he has not voted for a long time but decided he must do so this time around because of the “bad treatment” meted to Obaseki. NNL.
