By Ovie Okpare
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday congratulated Governor Godwin Obaseki on his victory in the Edo State governorship election held on Saturday.
Buhari, while reacting to the outcome of the election where his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) lost to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), commended the process producing Obaseki as the winner.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared Obaseki of the PDP re-elected in the Saturday’s poll after securing majority votes during the exercise adjudged to peace free and fair.
Obaseki polled 307,955 votes to defeat his closest rival and candidate of APC, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who garnered 223,619 votes.
The President in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, noted that it was his desire to ensure that the nation’s electoral processes are credible and free from irregularities.
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Buhari, while congratulating the PDP candidate in a statement titled “President Buhari commends election process in Edo State reiterates commitment to free and fair elections,” he urged Obaseki to “show grace and humility in victory.”
“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.
“I have consistently advocated for free and fair elections in the country because it is the bedrock of true democratic order.
“Democracy will mean nothing if the votes of the people don’t count or if their mandate is fraudulently tampered with”, the statement read.
Mr President also commended the security agencies, people the state, the political parties and candidates for ensuring that the process was credible.
