Philip Shaibu, deputy governor of Edo, says he has been over the moon because the electoral umpire declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) because the winner of the gubernatorial ballot.
On Sunday, the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) declared Monday Okpebholo of the APC winner of the governorship election performed on September 21.
Okpebholo, a serving senator, received the election with 291,667 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Asue Ighodalo, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Occasion (PDP), who received 247,274 votes.
Shaibu taunted Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, for dropping his LGA to the APC.
Shaibu was impeached as deputy governor of Edo in April 2024 after falling out with Obaseki.
In July, a federal excessive court docket in Abuja nullified the impeachment. James Omotosho, the presiding choose, held that Shaibu’s ouster violated the provisions of the legislation.
Shaibu defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) afterwards.
‘I HAVE BEEN VINDICATED’
Shaibu is from Etsako west LGA. The APC scored 32,107 within the LGA whereas the PDP secured 17,483 votes. Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north, can also be from Etsako west.
Okpebholo received Oredo LGA with 30,780 votes. Obaseki hails from Oredo LGA.
Asue Ighodalo, PDP governorship candidate, secured 24,938 votes, whereas Olumide Akpata of the Labour Occasion received 5,389 votes in Oredo.
“I actually really feel vindicated and I thank God for it. I’m so excited and I’m completely satisfied that I’m counted among the many numbers of individuals that helped APC to regain authorities home in Edo state. I’m so excited,” he stated.
“Not solely that I’m excited, I’ve additionally cancelled that unfavourable impression and blackmail which have been flying that Philip Shaibu doesn’t win his ward. It’s a lie.
“I’ve by no means misplaced my ward. I’ve by no means misplaced my unit. I’ve at all times received it. And within the native authorities, you’ll be able to see. So, these which have been blackmailing, they’ll see.
“Even the governor couldn’t win his native authorities. I received my unit which is primary now within the state. I received my ward and native authorities. I took first from my unit to ward and to the native authorities.”
‘OBASEKI REMOVED THE LADDER THAT HELPED HIM’
Shaibu claimed that the PDP misplaced the election as a result of Obaseki sidelined key members of the social gathering forward of the governorship election.
“The place is the governor’s outcome? He has by no means received. We now have at all times assisted him. However sadly, he received the ability and he began kicking us and eradicating the ladder,” Shaibu stated.
“It is extremely unlucky. I hope he learns his classes. And what’s left for him now could be to return and begin begging and apologising to folks of Edo state. He has a whole lot of them that he must apologise to.
“We have been 10 (individuals) that contested the first, and out of the ten, he advised us to go to hell. The final time I counted, it was 618 key leaders that left PDP for APC.”
