EdoDecides2020: Godwin Obaseki Reelected For The Second Term.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Godwin Obaseki has defeated Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu of All Progressive Congress, to win a second term as the executive governor of Edo State.

Governor Obaseki was returned elected after polling the highest number of votes in the keenly-contested election conducted on Saturday.

The Returning Officer of INEC for the election announced Mr. Godwin Obaseki as the winner on Sunday at the office of the electoral umpire in Benin City, which doubled as the final collation centre.

The governor had 307,955 of the total votes, 84,336 more votes than his closest rival Ize-Iyamu, who got 223, 619 votes.

A total of 14 political parties presented their respective candidates to vye for the office of the governor in the state.

The announcement by the returning officer was done after the collation of the results from all the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo where the election was conducted.

Governor Obaseki’s victory comes on through a very serious,  tensed and heated electioneering process that made him dump the APC after being disqualified from the primaries, subsequently join the PDP and overcome stiff opposition and criticism by members of his former party, including former ally and his predecessor Adams Oshiomhole.

Very dramatic process it were, for Godwin Obasek to run a governorship race against Ize-Iyamu for a second time in four years.

Both men faced each other in 2016, albeit with Obaseki flying the flag of the APC and Ize-Iyamu flying that of the PDP.

A political rift between the governor and Oshiomhole which spiraled beyond the state to national politics, saw both men switch parties and square up against each other on platforms they once criticised.

The campaign, characterised by drama and controversy that did not spare the State House of Assembly, was tempered by the intervention of the Oba of Benin to calm fears that the poll could turn violence heightened.

A peace accord was also signed by all the candidates days before the poll as stakeholders made concerted efforts to ensure a successful poll.

Preliminary reports from some electoral observers have held that it was mostly peaceful and largely free and fair.