Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North and former Governor of Edo State, has claimed that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s political career is effectively over following the results of the September 21 governorship election. The election concluded with the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, being declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
During an appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today,’ Oshiomhole attributed Obaseki’s political demise to the defeat of his endorsed candidate, Asue Ighodalo, in the recent election.
Oshiomhole criticized Obaseki’s visit to the INEC office while results were being collated, questioning the appropriateness of a sitting governor being present at the collation center. “How can a sitting governor go to a collation centre? To intimidate or possibly influence the results or to change the results? What was he doing there?” he asked, emphasizing the impropriety of such a visit.
In response to reports that Obaseki’s intent was to inquire about the delay in result collation, Oshiomhole dismissed the governor’s rationale. He commended the voters for ousting the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and called out Obaseki for previously labeling the election as a “do-or-die affair.”
“Obaseki said the election was a do-or-die affair. He told you that here. He insisted. Now, the people have done it, he’s dead,” Oshiomhole stated.
The INEC confirmed that Monday Okpebholo won the governorship election with 291,667 votes.