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Tag: Obaseki

  • UK congratulates Obaseki, commends conduct of Edo Election

    UK congratulates Obaseki, commends conduct of Edo Election

    The United Kingdom has congratulated Godwin Obaseki on his re-election as governor of Edo State.

    The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, congratulated Obaseki in a tweet on Sunday.

    She also commended the people for a credible electoral process in the state.

    Laing also expressed gratitude to civil society organisations, who monitored the election and their contribution towards ensuring a peaceful exercise.

    “Congratulations @GovernorObaseki @PastorIzeIyamu @inecnigeria on #EdoDecides2020. @UKinNigeria team observed credible process and commend both candidates for encouraging peace. Thanks to civil society partners @YIAGA @SituationRoomNg @cleenfoundation for their invaluable work,” she tweeted.

  • #EdoDecides2020: Ize-Iyamu breaks silence after defeat

    #EdoDecides2020: Ize-Iyamu breaks silence after defeat

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just concluded Edo State Governorship election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has said he will soon announce his next line of action after the declaration of Governor Godwin Obaseki the winner of the Saturday poll.

    Ize-Iyamu, who trailed Obaseki with over 84,000 votes, said he was still studying the results and he would make known his plan very soon.

    He said this on his Facebook page.

    It read, “I hereby thank and appreciate my teeming supporters, who have had to endure many evils including being prevented from exercising their franchise, for their support and determination during the election process.

    “I assure you all that I am studying the results along with other party members and will announce the next line of action soon. God bless you all.”

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the APC has also rejected the results alleging widespread irregularities during poll.

  • Obaseki’s win renews our 2023 determination to win Lagos – PDP

    Obaseki’s win renews our 2023 determination to win Lagos – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos State Chapter, says the re-election of Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has further strengthened its determination to win the 2023 governorship poll in Lagos.

    The party said on Sunday in Lagos that if the embattled Obaseki could surmount all the challenges to win, the party also could.

    Mr Taofik Gani, the party’s state spokesperson made this known in a congratulatory message to Obaseki made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    NAN reports that INEC declared Obaseki winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Edo.

    Obaseki polled 307,955 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) Candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who scored 223,619.

    The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Petroleum Resources, Effuru, said Obaseki scored the highest number of votes and therefore the winner of the election.

    Gani said the party’s state chapter particularly, hailed the governor for his ability to garner the needed votes to be declared at first ballot.

    The spokesperson said he was optimistic that the party would also ensure it emerged victorious in the Lagos State governorship election in 2023.

    “To us in PDP Lagos State, we have grasped from the well deserved victory, the renewed commitment and resoluteness.

    “Our effort is to also win Lagos State to end godfatherism and imposition in Lagos politics.

    “As a matter of fact, we are now more than ever before, fired up to win Lagos State,” he said.

    Gani noted that the party would manifest the ability in the coming bye-elections in the state and eventually the 2023 general elections.

  • #EdoDecides2020: Melaye releases special song for Oshiomhole, APC after Obaseki’s victory [VIDEO]

    #EdoDecides2020: Melaye releases special song for Oshiomhole, APC after Obaseki’s victory [VIDEO]

    Former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye has released a video ridiculing the former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole over the loss of the just concluded Edo State governorship to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Recall that Governor Godwin Obaseki fell out with his predecessor, Oshiomhole who was instrumental to his ascending the governorship seat in 2016 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the then PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

    However, in the just concluded election, Oshiomhole’s annointed, Ize-Iyamu who was the APC candidate, lost to Obaseki of the PDP.

    In a viral video, Melaye ridiculed Oshiomhole, by downgrading his nickname.

    He said Oshiomhole should no longer be called ‘Oshio Baba’, but ‘Oshio Pikin’, henceforth.

    Melaye recorded the video in Benin shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) affirmed and declared Obaseki as winner of the 2020 Edo governorship poll.

    Watch video below:

  • #EdoDecides2020: Atiku congratulates Obaseki, says godfatherism over in Nigerian politics

    #EdoDecides2020: Atiku congratulates Obaseki, says godfatherism over in Nigerian politics

    Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has congratulated Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on his victory in the governorship election held in the state on Saturday.

    Obaseki , candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), having polled the highest number of valid votes cast.

    Obaseki polled 307, 955 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC), who came second with 223, 619 votes.

    In a statement he personally signed, the presidential flagbearer of the PDP in the 2019 presidential election also commended the people of Edo State for their resilience in the face of the forces arrayed against them, saying the victory of Mr Obaseki ”is not just a victory, but a declaration of Independence from the anti democratic forces of godfatherism and militarism.”

    Read full statement below:

    There is a new dawn in Edo State, and the hard won victory of Governor Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki is not just a victory, but a Declaration of Independence from the anti democratic forces of godfatherism and militarism. No victory could be sweeter than this, and I heartily congratulate the Governor, and the good people of Edo state for their resilience in the face of the forces arrayed against them.

    Edo has a rich history as the centre of Black civilisation, and to this, she is adding a new history as the bastion of Nigerian democracy. This double whammy of ancient and modern glories is a testament to a people who have for centuries set the pace as a beacon of light on the African continent.

    I most heartily congratulate the Peoples Democratic Party, who stood shoulder to shoulder, with the people of Edo and their Government, in good times and bad. We, in the PDP, have shown that we are not fair weather friends to the good people of Edo. In good times, we will walk beside you. In bad times, we will be your true ‘comrade’. We will never be a turncoat. We will never abandon the principles we once espoused, so we can dine with our nemesis. Democracy has no nemesis. And this, the PDP has again proved.

    I look forward to the continuation of four more years of tangible development, and people centred leadership from Governor Obaseki. I also seize this opportunity to thank His Royal Highness, the Oba of Benin, Omo N’oba N’Edo Uku Akpolopkolo, Ewuare II, for the fatherly role he played as a neutral catalyst for peace. That this election was, by and large, free from violence, is a testament of the long and effective shadow he casts over his domain.

    From personal experience, I know Governor Obaseki to be a magnanimous man, and I urge Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu to accept the right hand of fellowship that is likely to be extended to him. The leprous hand he is now holding, can only lead to a destination of barrenness. He is amongst strange bedfellows, and I remind him that no matter how far one has gone on a wrong road, it is never too late to turn back and head in the right direction. The PDP is the right direction.

    And to the good people of Ondo state, my message to you is that freedom from the oppressive grasp of godfathers and external forces that seek to dominate your will, and eviscerate your treasury, is possible. Edo has done it. You can do it too!

    There is a new wind of democratic change now blowing all over Nigeria. The forces of despotism, nepotism, and interlopers cannot successfully withstand this force. Nigeria shall soon be totally free from these forces, from Kaura Namoda, to Lagos. The only power that will stand in Nigeria is people power, not the power of godfathers, or despots.

    May God bless the good people of Edo State and may God bless Nigeria.

  • Words fail me, thanks to Edo people for shaming godfatherism – Obaseki

    Words fail me, thanks to Edo people for shaming godfatherism – Obaseki

    Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has lauded his people for giving him the mandate to rule the state for a second time.

    In his victory post on his official Twitter page, Obaseki who said words failed him thanked the people of Edo for being courageous in their bid to end godfatherism in the state.

    The post reads: “Words fail me in saluting our teeming supporters who displayed immense courage in the face of threats, intimidation and brutalisation. The collective will of Edo people made itpossible for us to triumph over godfatherism. Congratulations to all Edo people.”

  • Saraki congratulates Edo People, says Obaseki’s victory has several implications

    Saraki congratulates Edo People, says Obaseki’s victory has several implications

    Immediate past Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has congratulated Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, for his re-election which he described as having several symbolic representations for Nigeria and her democracy.

    Saraki in a statement from his Media Office in Abuja stated that Obaseki’s victory at the elections which took place yesterday represented the determination of the good people of Edo State to decide who governs the state and to ensure their votes count at all times.

    “The result of the Edo election represents the true wish of the people who stood firmly behind their Governor against power mongers who were determined to foist their choice on the people. It represents the will of the people to vote in free, fair, credible and peaceful elections. The people of Edo State who had sleepless nights in order to protect their votes, those who rejected the cash being thrown around to buy their votes and the intimidation to force them to compromise their belief, deserve our praise. Therefore, my congratulations go to all the people of Edo State.

    “Let me give kudos to the leaders and governors in our party, the PDP, for working together to achieve this victory. The PDP leaders and members in Edo State who whole-heartedly accepted Governor Obaseki since he joined the party and co-operated with him to bring about this victory deserve to be appreciated

    “The result of the just concluded election also represents the fact that our people actually desire to be governed by a truly democratic government headed by those they genuinely voted for. It represents the fact that our security and electoral officials can conduct free and fair elections if they have the right atmosphere. We are happy that throughout this election we did not see the military brutalizing the people or security officials supervising the snatching of ballot boxes and vandalisation of votes. Thus, the military and other security agencies deserve commendation for this successful polls.

    “Also, we saw how the INEC officials maturely handled the complaints of the APC agent who sought to create confusion at the state collation centre when the Orihomwon Local Government result was about to be declared. The INEC and its officials deserve to be commended for their neutrality in this election.

    “We can see that the result represents realistic figures from one local government area to the other. No case of outlandish figures being reeled out. That is also a sign of some level of credibility in the process. It is for the above reasons that I have to commend President Muhammadu Buhari for keeping the military out of this election and for giving the instructions that led to the apparent neutrality of members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other security officials in the entire process”, Saraki stated.

    He further urged Governor Obaseki to see his victory as a charge by the people of Edo State to him to intensify his focus on development of the state and the welfare of its people.

    “The Edo election result is a victory for our country, her people and democracy. We have shown that the glory of the country is more valuable to the citizens than the wish of a tiny power clique”, he added.

  • BREAKING: Buhari congratulates Obaseki, commends Edo election process

    BREAKING: Buhari congratulates Obaseki, commends Edo election process

    President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the election process in Edo State which led to the victory of Governor Godwin Obaseki as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

     

    In his reaction to the outcome of the election as announced by INEC, President Buhari said: “My commitment to free and fair elections is firm, because without free and fair elections, the foundation of our political and moral authority will be weak.”

    The President added: “I have consistently advocated for free and fair elections in the country because it is the bedrock of true democratic order.

    “The President congratulated the winner and urged him to show grace and humility in victory.”

    “Democracy will mean nothing if the votes of the people don’t count or if their mandate is fraudulently tampered with,” he said in a statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on media and publicity.

    He commended the people of Edo State, the parties, candidates and security agencies for conducting themselves responsibly.

  • Edo poll: Top political losers, winners of the day

    Edo poll: Top political losers, winners of the day

    Though the race for who becomes the governor of Edo State has been concluded with the incumbent, Godwin Obaseki securing convincing votes to defeat his counterpart, Ize-Iyamu.

    Obaseki polled a total of 307,955 votes to defeat Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who got 223,619 votes.

    Politics being a game of numbers, permutations, actions and reactions have dealt a great blow on some political figures while elevating the stature of others at the same time.

    To capture the political narratives surrounding the just concluded Edo governorship election, TheNewsGuru (TNG) has compiled the biggest political losers and winners…

    THE LOSERS

    1. Ize-Iyamu:: Described as the major pawn of other political giants in All Progressives Congress (APC), Ize-Iyamu who is the governorship flagbearer of the APC is one of the politicians that is publicly hit by the blows of loss in the just concluded election in Edo State.


    2. Adams Oshiomhole:     As far as Edo politics is concerned, Oshiomhole is the biggest political loser of the day. Apart from being forced out of office as the Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), the second opportunity for Oshio-Baba as his fondly called by his supporters is to save his face, by ensuring his political sweetheart turned rival, Godwin Obaseki doesn’t get a second term in office. Unfortunately, Obaseki won.

    This new feat will be a big game-changer that will set the trajectory of how politics is played in Edo. In this new order, Oshiomhole might only be left with the option to observe politics from the backseats. Oshiomhole’s fall from a one-time powerful controller of politics at the national level to becoming a politically irrelevant figure is a shocking turnaround.

    3. Bola Tinubu

    Former Governor of Lagos State and national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu is the mega loser of the day. It is no longer a secret that Tinubu is plotting a huge political relevance ahead of his 2023 presidential bid. As a supposed champion of politics in South West, Lagos to be specific, Tinubu’s major move is to awaken allies in other regions in Nigeria, hence his hobnobbing with Oshiomhole of Edo (South-South).

    Now that APC has lost Edo to PDP, Tinubu has been sent back to his drawing boards to restrategise for a task and political ambition appearing more mountainous than ever.

    Recall Tinubu wanted Edo badly, that he posted a live video where he condemned PDP’s Obaseki and urged Edo people to reject him on the day of the election, the reverse seems to be the case here.

    4. APC

    Having lost the Edo governorship election, APC is now officially out of the South-South region, and with only one presence in Southeast (Imo State), one can say the party is losing its national grip and outlook.

    Winners:

    1. Godwin Obaseki:

    Godwin Obaseki is the man to celebrate for his courage and political sagacity amid the stormy journey that got him reelected as the governor of Edo State. The feud between Obaseki and his erstwhile master, Oshiomhole was so fierce he (Obaseki) was disqualified from the APC governorship primary for alleged inconsistencies in his academic credentials, a plot scripted by Mr Oshiomhole.

    Ultimately, Mr Obaseki defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he renewed his mandate and he won his reelection bid while stripping Oshiomhole of political relevance.

    In the span of the crisis between the duo, and by extension within the APC, there were intrigues, litigations, threats, among others smaller battles that this new success will erase the dirty linen for Obaseki but vanquished Oshiomhole has no choice but to wear his torn garments without repairs.

    2. Abubakar Atiku:

    For a heavyweight politician like Abubakar Atiku, the emergence of Godwin Obaseki as a second-time governor of Edo State tells more about 2023 than the control of the state.

    Atiku who is one of the frontline candidates who is positioning himself to rule Nigeria come 2023 did not only facilitated Obaseki’s move to the PDP but also did all to ensure the victory that is being celebrated today. Recall, the former vice president activated about 150 independent support groups in Edo in support of PDP’s flag bearer in the election.

    This is definitely a big win for Atiku.


    3. PDP:

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has consolidated its structure in South-South region with Obaseki ceding victory to his new party at the detriment of his estranged political family, APC.

    4. Electorate: Despite the federal might exerted by the Nigerian government, Edo people through their resilient support for Obaseki has shown that power really belongs to the voting class. Obaseki’s victory no doubt strengthens Nigeria’s democratic destination at a time the electorate are losing hope in democratic tenets.

  • BREAKING: PDP’s Obaseki defeats Oshiomhole’s anointed candidate, Ize-Iyamu, wins re-election

    BREAKING: PDP’s Obaseki defeats Oshiomhole’s anointed candidate, Ize-Iyamu, wins re-election

    Godwin Obaseki has been re-elected as the governor of Edo State for another term of four years.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Saturday’s governorship election polled a total of 307,955 votes to defeat his main challenger, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who got 223,619 votes.

    Obaseki won in 13 LGAs including Oredo, where he hails from while Ize-Iyamu won in five. Co-incidentally both men battled it out in 2016 with Obaseki, the then flagbearer of the APC emerging victorious after defeating Ize-Iyamu who was the PDP candidate with over 200,000 votes.

    See results below:

    SN LGA PDP APC WINNER 1 Esan Central 10,794 6,719 PDP 2 Esan north-east 13,579 6,556 PDP 3 Igueben 7,870 5,199 PDP 4 Esan south-east 10,563 9,237 PDP 5 Ikpoba Okha 41,030 18,218 PDP 6 Owan East 14,762 19,295 APC 7 Etsako West 17,959 26,140 APC 8 Egor 27,621 10,202 PDP 9 Esan West 17,434 7,189 PDP 10 Uhunmwonde 10,022 5,972 PDP 11 Owan West 11,485 11,193 PDP 12 Ovia North-East 16,987 9,907 PDP 13 Oredo 43,498 18,365 PDP 14 Akoko Edo 20,101 22,963 APC 15 Etsako East 10,668 17,011 APC 16 Etsako Central 7,478 8,359 APC 17 Orhionmwon 13,445 10,458 PDP 18 Ovia South-West 12,659 10,636 PDP TOTAL 307,955 223,619 Read more: