SaharaReporters has ascertained from a top
official of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) that Governor Adams Aliyu
Oshiomhole is the winner of the Edo State
governorship election.

With votes counted from 18 local governments
in Edo State, Mr. Oshiomhole, the candidate of
the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), had
garnered 477, 478 votes. His main rival, Major
General Charles Airhiavbere (ret.) of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), scored 144,255 votes.
“It’s clear that the incumbent governor is going
to win by a landslide,” said the INEC source,
adding, “INEC is in the process of preparing a
formal statement to declare him the winner.”

Some analysts regarded the July 14 election as
a final proof of the political irrelevance of Tony
Anenih, former chair of the PDP’s board of
trustees who paraded himself as a kingmaker in
the state. Mr. Oshiomhole trounced his PDP
rival, handpicked by Mr. Anenih, in both the
candidate’s ward as well as that of Mr. Anenih.

President Goodluck Jonathan had campaigned in
Benin City for the losing PDP candidate. The
president had also ordered the deployment of
thousands of soldiers to major towns in Edo
State in a bid to intimidate voters and shore up
the PDP candidate. However, the people of the
state trooped out in large number to ensure that
Mr. Oshiomhole’s victory could not be stolen.

Reached moments ago, an aide to Governor
Oshiomhole said the governor was grateful for
the vigilance of the people to ensure that the
voters triumphed over the PDP’s gimmicks. He
added that the governor saw his victory as an
indication that the people of Edo “have
decisively rejected those who lie and kill for the
sake of power.”

Olaitan Oyerinde, the governor’s private
secretary and one of his closest aides, was
murdered by assassins suspected to have been
hired by PDP henchmen in the state.

Governor Oshiomhole was declared winner
by INEC's returning officer Prof. Osayuki
Oshodi at exactly 7:40 Am Nigerian time


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