INEC Declares Oshiomhole Winner of Edo State Governorship Poll

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Latest report from Edo state capital, Benin City indicates that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally declared Edo State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, winner of of Saturday’s governorship election.

The declaration was made at the Edo State INEC headquarters on Sunday by the Returning Officer, Prof. Osayuki Oshodin. According to INEC, Oshiomhole polled a total of 477,478 votes ( representing 73 percent of the total votes cast) to overcome his closest challenger, Maj. Gen. Charles Airhiavbere of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 144,235 votes ( representing 22 percent of the total votes cast).The candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Mr. Solomon Edebiri, scored 3,642 while the candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Roland Izevbuwa came forth in the much-talked about election. The Social Democratic Mega Party candidate, Mr. Frank Okonga, came fifth with 807 votes, while the Labour Party candidate scored 604 votes to emerge sixth. The seventh position went to the candidate of the National Conscience Party with 540 votes.

Although, a total number of 1,651,099 voters were registered in Edo state only 647, 698 votes representing about 40% were recorded in the election despite the huge turn-out. The outcome of voter turnout in Edo has again taken the pattern of previous elections in Nigeria since the clamour for credible elections that has witnessed better organised polls by INEC and greater vigilance by the people. The low rate of return of register voters is a trend that raises critical questions regarding the accuracy and authenticity of voter registers in the country. The trend also calls to question the capacity of the electoral commission to fully accommodate all registered voters within the time frame of election. As witnessed in Edo state on Saturday, several voters were disenfranchised because their names were missing in the register displaced and yet there appears to be huge number of ‘ghost voters’ in the register as the outcome has shown

Governor Oshiomhole and the General Airhiavbere of the PDP are expected to be reacting to the outcome of the poll at the time of filling this report. Meanwhile, the agent of Oshiomhole and the ACN, Chief Osagie Ize-Iyamu, said the governor would be making personal responses to his victory. On the other hand, Mr. Martin Osakue who represented the PDP and its governorship candidate pledged to get back to the leadership of the party but he commended INEC and the security agencies for a job well-done.