Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has extended an olive branch to his main opponent, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, in the just concluded Edo State governorship election.
However, receiving his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Monday in Benin, Edo State, Obaseki extended the olive branch to Oshiomhole, the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and other members of the party to join hands with his administration in developing the state.
INEC ’s National Commissioner in charge of Edo , Rivers, and Bayelsa States , Mrs May Agbmuche -Mbu , made the presentation at the INEC office in Aduwawa, Benin City , the Edo State capital .
INEC declared Obaseki, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, as winner of the keenly contested election.
INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, said Obaseki polled 307,955 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ize-Iyamu, who got 223,619 votes.
Delivering a speech on Tuesday at INEC’s office, Obaseki said, “To our friends and our brothers on the other side of the divide, we are one family in the pursuit to provide services and public good for our citizens.
Our citizens have decided that as for now, they trust us more to provide them leadership. It does not mean that they do not have a role to play. It does not mean that they are not part of a family.
I’m using this opportunity to extend hand of fellowship to my brother, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and his other colleagues in the All Progressives Congress to join us and work with us so that we can move Edo forward.
On a specific note, I want to use this occasion to call on the former chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, that the fight is over and he should come and join in building the house where he was part of laying the foundation.
We have no malice, the only thing we disagreed on is in the approach in moving Edo forward.
