Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday, described the party’s victory in Edo State as a triumph for democracy and rejection of imposition.
The governors, while congratulating Godwin Obaseki, also said the victory was a result of hard work and resilience.
This was contained in a statement titled, “Edo: Triumph of Democracy and rejection of imposition,” signed by the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Aminu Tambuwal.
The governors also praised President Buhari and INEC for their “fairness and relative neutrality in the conduct of the elections”.
“It is a resounding endorsement by Edo people of your performance in the last four years. It is an absolute rejection by Edolites of godfatherism and imposition of their leaders by forces from outside the state,” the statement said.
The auditorium of the Edo State Government House was thrown into wild jubilation on Sunday as PDP governors, party officials and party faithful celebrated the re-election of Obaseki.
After the result from the last local government area, Ovia South West, was announced, Wike also described the victory as a triumph over godfatherism.
He said, “If for nothing, we have achieved the fact that there is nothing called godfatherism again in Edo politics. Edo people have spoken and they have said their destiny cannot be in one man’s hand and that was what they did yesterday. We want to thank him (Obaseki) for putting himself forward to be used to fight for the interest of the Edo people. I congratulate you and your deputy.”
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, who is the Deputy Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, also sent a warm congratulatory message to Obaseki through his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Onyebuchi Ememanka.
Ikpeazu said, “The result of the election shows clearly that the people of Edo State were not prepared to circumscribe their sovereignty under any circumstances. They have spoken clearly that no one can take away their rights to choose their own leader.”
Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, who is the Chairman of South-South Governors’ Forum, while congratulating his Edo State counterpart and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, on their re-election, expressed happiness that the entire South-South was now being governed by PDP governors.
He said, “The brotherhood displayed by the governors of the PDP and other party members towards the re-election of Obaseki is what the country needs to take the nation to greater heights in 2023.”
His Bayelsa State counterpart, Mr Douye Diri, said “people power in any democracy is the most potent force”.
Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, who congratulated Obaseki on his re-election, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Christian Ita, praised Buhari and INEC for their “neutrality” in the election.
Like Obaseki who defected from the APC to the PDP shortly before the election, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, also defected to the PDP from the APC ahead of the 2019 governorship election that gave him a second term in office.
Ortom, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, said the result of the election was not the machinations of “self-made gods” but a “true reflection of the wishes of Edo people”.
