(Breaking) Edo Election: Godwin Obaseki Re-Elected Edo State Governor

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Daily Metro News NG

The Governor of Edo state and Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Godwin Obaseki has defeated Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu, of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to win a second term of four years as governor of Edo State.

Governor Obaseki was returned elected after polling the highest number of votes in the keenly-contested poll of Saturday, 19th September, 2020.

The INEC Returning Officer for the election declared Obaseki as the winner on Sunday at the collation centre at the office of the electoral umpire in Benin City.

The Governor scored a total of 307,955 votes, while his closest rival Ize-Iyamu, of the APC got 223, 619 votes. The vote margin stands at 84,336 votes.

A total of 14 political parties participated in the election to jostle for the office of the governor in the state.

Channels TV reported that the election 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.

While it held in some places in line with the COVID-19 protocols of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the compliance level was very low in other polling areas.

Obaseki’s victory comes on a very tensed and heated electioneering process that saw him dump the APC after being disqualified from the primaries, join the PDP and overcome stiff opposition and criticism by members of his former party, including former ally and his predecessor Comr. Adams Oshiomhole.

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 violence heightened.

A peace accord was also signed by all the candidates days before the poll as stakeholders made concerted efforts to ensure a successful poll.

Preliminary reports from some electoral observers have held that it was mostly peaceful and largely free and fair.


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