Obaseki wins Edo governorship election

Governor Godwin Obaseki has won the Edo State governorship election on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

Obaseki defeated main challenger, Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 12 other lightweight candidates, to secure another term of four years in office.

Obaseki scored 307,955 votes, while Ize-Iyamu gained 223,619 votes.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu (left) and Godwin Obaseki (right) [Vanguard] Pulse Nigeria

You can see how the 18 local governments in Edo voted here.

Violent election

The build-up to the election was everything but peaceful, with thugs from the two major political camps unleashing violence and turning the south-south state into a battlefield of some sorts.

Police boss Mohammed Adamu had to deploy 31,000 officers to Edo to keep the peace and restore some semblance of sanity, days before the vote.

The vote itself was marred by pockets of violence in certain polling units and vote buying. One electoral officer was shot, while the other was cut in the face. COVID-19 safety protocols like physical distancing and wearing of face masks, were also largely ignored at polling units.

Oshiomhole Vs Obaseki

Obaseki fell out with godfather and predecessor Adams Oshiomhole, months before the electioneering campaigns.

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his predecessor, Adam Oshiomhole, who is now the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (ChannelsTV) Pulse Nigeria

He defected from the APC to the PDP in June after he was disqualified from contesting the primary election on the APC platform, with the screening committee citing discrepancies in his school certificates.

ALSO READ: Edo governorship election is really all about Oshiomhole [Pulse Editor's Opinion]

Obaseki would go on to secure the PDP’s ticket for the election in a week, after visiting PDP Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom.

Wike (left) received Obaseki in June after Obaseki was denied APC ticket (Rivers media office) Pulse Nigeria

2,210,534 Edo residents registered to vote in the election.

The South Senatorial District of Edo had the highest number of registered voters with 1,281,414, the North had 564,122, while the Central Senatorial District had the least number of registered voters at 364,998.

483,769 registered voters failed to collect their PVCs (Permanent Voters Cards) for the election.

Obaseki, 63, was first sworn in as Edo Governor on November 12, 2016. He’s been nicknamed ‘wait and see’ on the streets of Edo--a nod to his ability to rehabilitate decrepit infrastructure in record time.