EDO DECIDES: The reactions

INEC praises stakeholders, urges them to shift focus to Ondo

CHAIRMAN of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Sunday, commended all the stakeholders in the Edo governorship election held Saturday.

Yakubu spoke after the result of the Edo election was declared, and while winding down activities of the INEC Situation Room in Abuja.

The Chairman challenged all INEC staff members and participants in the conduct of elections to prove that the success in Edo was not a fluke by the standard in the conduct of elections, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

Yakubu also urged the stakeholders to immediately shift their attention to the October 10 Ondo governorship election.

He reminded the stakeholders about the series of by-elections in 11 States, on Oct. 31.

We appreciate INEC’s role — PDP

THE PDP praised what it called the “innovations” in the conduct of elections by the INEC, as shown in the successful Edo governorship election.

At a news conference in Abuja yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, urged INEC to extend the process to future elections, especially the October 10 poll in Ondo State.

“Our party also notes the efforts of the INEC under Prof. Yakubu Mahmood in ensuring that Edo election was conducted in a manner that was largely adjudged to be free, fair, transparent and credible,” according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

While praising President Buhari for allowing credible election, Ologbodiyan implored him to continue in ensuring that Nigerians are allowed to “freely choose their leaders in all elections”.

Continuing on the role of INEC, Ologbodiyan stated: “Nigerians hope that what we have witnessed in Edo will not be an off-season procedure in the commission. We demand that this credible process applies to all our elections.

“The PDP applauds the use of virtual portal by INEC to upload results directly from the polling unit, the base of our election, which made it impossible for electoral violators to hijack this electoral process.

“It is our hope in the PDP, this newfound image of INEC will gather more thresholds in future elections, particularly the Oct. 10, Ondo governorship election,” stated Ologbodiyan.

He continued, “We, however, urge INEC to strengthen its processes, particularly in the area of card readers, to forestall the type of delays witnessed in the accreditation of voters in Edo.

“Our party also notes the improvement in the activities of our security agencies compared to past elections. We hope that our security organs will continue in this stead in future elections.

“The Edo election has indeed shown that credible elections are possible in our country if we play by the rules,” he said.

Congratulating Godwin Obaseki, on his reelection and the people of Edo for their choice, Ologbodiyan said, “this victory, as won by the people, is historic and serves as a strong, viable and unambiguous lesson to leaders.

“We rejoice with the Edo people for helping to reset the political culture of our nation by casting their votes, protecting the votes, ensuring that their votes counted and following it, “bumper-to-bumper”, to the final point of declaration.”

Ologbondiyan also extended appreciation to Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying his participation in the election has helped to deepen democracy in the country.

He said, “We invite him, in the spirit of sportsmanship, to congratulate his brother, Obaseki and join him in the onerous task of leadership in the general interest of all Edo people,” he said.

Traditional institutions, faith-based organisations, youth groups, market women, artisans, community associations, trade unions, traditional leaders and other stakeholders also received praises form the PDP, for ensuring that Edo set a good example for other states in the country.

“Furthermore, the PDP applauds the international community for their keen observation of our electoral processes as well as profiling of those who are bent on undermining our democracy and making free and fair elections appear impossible in Nigeria.

“We urge the international community and all lovers of democracy not to relent in providing necessary advisory to our leaders on the conduct of our elections,” Ologbondiyan said.

Commending the actions taken by the United States and the United Kingdom by banning electoral violators from visiting their countries, Ologbodiyan said:

“We urge them not to restrain on further sanctions against such individuals for their sinister roles in our elections.”

The PDP spokesman also appreciated Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, chairman of PDP National Campaign Council, for “providing the right leadership” that yielded victory for the party in the Edo poll.

The Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal and the Chairman of the South-South PDP Governors Forum, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, also received applause from the party spokesman.

He commended all PDP governors, national assembly caucus, elders, leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of the party for their efforts in the election.

“Our party thanks the media, the civil society groups and all Nigerians across board, for showing more than a passing interest in ensuring that the wishes of the people of Edo for a credible and transparent election prevailed,”, stated Ologbodiyan, adding, “We do not take your efforts in this regard for granted.

“The PDP assures of a continuous partnership with all critical stakeholders in our collective desire to recreate a nation that will continue to be our pride,” he added.

Buhari congratulates Obaseki, restates commitment to free, fair elections

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari commended the election process which led to the victory of Obaseki, saying he was committed to free and fair polls.

He also said without the conduct of free and fair polls, the foundation of democracy would be weak and party politics would amount to nothing.

The president said: “My commitment to free and fair elections is firm, because without free and fair elections, the foundation of our political and moral authority will be weak.

“I have consistently advocated for free and fair elections in the country because it is the bedrock of true democratic order.

“Democracy will mean nothing if the votes of the people don’t count or if their mandate is fraudulently tampered with.”

Buhari also commended the people of Edo State, the political parties, candidates and security agencies for conducting themselves responsibly.

APC congratulates Obaseki, urges Ize-Iyamu to do likewise

THE chairman of the APC national caretaker committee, Mai Mal Buni, has congratulated Governor Obaseki on his re-election.

In a statement on Monday, the Yobe governor said the peaceful conduct of the election and its outcome represents a victory for Nigeria’s democracy.

Mr Buni said the party and the president remain committed to free and fair elections to strengthen the foundation of the country’s political and moral authority.

He commended INEC, security agencies, and all political parties that contested the election for the successful conduct of the election.

He also hailed the party’s flagbearer Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu for his tenacity and leadership while appreciating the efforts of the immediate past national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, and other members for demonstrating unwavering support for the party and its candidate in the election.

Governor Buni added that it is time to unite to move the country’s democracy forward and put an end to the era when the electoral contest becomes warfare.

“The September 19, 2020 Edo State Governorship election is over, the winner has been declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the person of the Mr. Godwin Obaseki, candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP). We hereby congratulate the winner of the election, the people of Edo State and all Nigerians. The peaceful conduct of the election and its outcome represent victory for Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.

“As a party, we join our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, to affirm our ‘commitment to free and fair elections’ in order to strengthen ‘the foundation for our political and moral authority’. We commend INEC, our security agencies and all political parties that contested the election for the successful conduct of the election. As a governing party, we will take every step necessary to support the Federal Government to consolidate all the gains achieved.

“We, in particular want to salute our candidate in the election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamuh for his tenacity and leadership. We similarly commend our Edo State leaders, especially our immediate past National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and all our members in Edo State for demonstrating unwavering support for our party and our candidate in the election. In the face of all the challenges, we collectively remained faithful and worked tirelessly during the campaigns. We appeal to all our members to be strengthened by the outcome of the election and unite in order to correct all the problems that worked against our party and our candidate in the just concluded election.

“Finally, we specially hereby celebrate our Edo State 2020 Governorship Campaign Council led by His Excellency Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Governor of Kano State. We acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of all members of the Campaign Council. As progressives and democrats, we are confident that all leaders and members of the party will celebrate the outcome of the election as free and fair as acknowledge by our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Let us unite to move our democracy for forward. We must put an end to the era when electoral contest become warfare. We urge our candidate and all our members to join us in congratulating Mr. Godwin Obaseki and the PDP, being the declared winner of the election. Our attention must now shift to Ondo State and ensure that we win the October 10, 2020 election. September 19, 2020 Edo election should present a new watershed. We will work hard to win the Ondo election. Having reaffirmed our commitment to free and fair elections, it is our expectation that all opposition parties in the country will also commit themselves to free and fair contests. We will therefore accordingly expect a congratulatory message from all parties just as we similarly guarantee that once we are defeated in a fair contest, we will congratulate the winner’.

State APC differs, rejects poll result 

MEANWHILE, the Edo State chapter of the APC has rejected the result of the governorship election as announced by the INEC.

In a statement released shortly after the results were announced, John Mayaki, chairman of the Edo APC Media Campaign Council, alleged several infractions during the poll.

“Our people were arbitrarily arrested, many of the figures were fabricated. Areas where we won, they cancelled them, they decreased the votes in areas we had advantage. They rejected our results and jerked up theirs,” said Mayaki.

For these reasons and others, Mayaki said his party would not accept the result. He did not, however, mention the next step for the party.

Mayaki’s statement, however, came in the heels of the congratulatory message which the leader of the APC, President Muhammadu Buhari, sent to the winner, Godwin Obaseki of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

Obaseki, the incumbent governor, was declared winner against his rival, Pastor Ize-Iyamu of the APC.

Some of my supporters were prevented from voting – Ize-Iyamu

THE governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has alleged that some of his supporters were disenfranchised during the polls held on Saturday.

Ize-Iyamu stated this in a tweet shortly after losing to the incumbent governor Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party.

He also alleged that there were many irregularities during the election and that he was studying the results to determine his next action.

“I thank and appreciate my supporters, who had to endure many evils including being prevented from voting, for their support and determination during the election. i assure you all that I am studying the results along with other party members and will announce my next move soon,” he tweeted yesterday.

Jonathan hails INEC, congratulates Obaseki

FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan, on Sunday congratulated Governor Obaseki on his reelection.

Jonathan urged Obaseki to set aside partisan politics while governing the state for the good of all.

In a series of tweets, the former president commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for conducting a free and fair election in the state.

Jonathan wrote: “I congratulate His Excellency @GovernorObaseki on his re-election as Edo State Governor. I also congratulate @inecnigeria for overseeing a process that allowed the votes of the good people of Edo to count.

Atiku, Saraki, Tambuwal, others greet Gov-elect

FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Governors Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State; Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State; Ben Ayade of Cross River State; Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State; Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State have also congratulated Obaseki.

In a statement, the former vice president also commended the people of Edo State for their resilience in the face of the forces arrayed against them, saying the victory of Obaseki “is not just a victory, but a declaration of independence from the anti-democratic forces of godfatherism and militarism.”

In his congratulatory message, Fintiri encouraged Obaseki to write his name in gold as one who changed the politics of Edo State by putting godfatherism to rest.

In the message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Humwashi Wonosikou, Adamawa State governor said Obaseki’s victory has put to rest godfatherism and has also changed the political landscape of Edo State.

Governor Wike of Rivers State, who was also the Chairman of PDP National Campaign Council, said the efforts of the party were not in vain.

Wike, who spoke in Benin City shortly after INEC affirmed Obaseki as the winner of the election, said: “Our efforts are not in vain. My brother has been declared the winner of the 2020 governorship election in Edo State. Let me thank my colleagues, the governors of Delta State, Oyo State, and all other people who served in the campaign council; I do not know how to thank them.

In his own message, Governor Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, through his Chief Press Secretary and Senior Special Assistant, Media, Mr. Ekerete Udoh, thanked God for ushering in a peaceful and credible election in Edo State.

Drawing similarities to what happened last year in his state. Emmanuel said, “Last year, the good people of Akwa Ibom State rose in unison and said no to godfatherism and the much-touted federal might, declaring their fidelity to the supremacy of our ONLY GOD in the affairs of man.

“Today, our brothers and sisters in Edo State have replicated the same wholesome faith and belief in God over the boastful exuberance of ordinary mortals by voting to return a leader who best represents their values and ethos; a doer and not a talker,” he said.

In a press statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Christian Ita, Ayade described Obaseki’s victory at the polls as well deserved considering his achievements in the past four years.

“I extend my warm felicitations to you on your well-deserved victory in the just concluded Edo gubernatorial election. For those of us who have keenly followed your giant strides in Edo State, your victory did not come as a surprise,” he said.
Okowa also congratulated his Edo counterpart, and his deputy, Hon. Philip Shaibu, on their re-election.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, yesterday, Okowa described the re-election of Obaseki as “the confirmation of the will of the people” and called on Nigerians to always stand for good leaders as Edo people just did for Obaseki.

He stated that the people of Edo across the 18 local government areas of the state spoke loudly and clearly in their reaffirmation of the choice of Obaseki as their governor.

Governor of Sokoto State and Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Tambuwal, congratulated Obaseki.

In a statement he signed, Tambuwal said the decisive turning point in any major contest is not who wins, but adherence to the ground rules that made it possible for a victor to emerge without a squabble.

“Our collective resolve, borne out of our shared democratic values, team spirit, and concern for the people as our primary constituency galvanised us to work within the ambits of the spirit and letter of the law. All of us, as servants of the people, set aside, with the utmost caution, negative thoughts that our party will not have a fair deal. Our logistical and legal nightmares, if any, were that the people of Edo State will not get a fair deal if the rules of the game are circumvented before and during the election,” Tambuwal said.

People’s revolution against injustice responsible for APC’s loss – Okorocha

• As Nwosu blames Oshiomhole for Ize-Iyamu’s loss

A chieftain of the APC, and former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, described the loss of his party in Edo State as people’s revolution against injustice.

Okorocha said members’ respect for President Buhari is the reason the party is still intact, warning that there could be an imminent possible implosion in the party if the leadership failed to address some issues threatening its sustenance.

The senator representing Imo West Senatorial Zone, reacting to the outcome of the just-concluded Edo governorship election, insisted that APC’s loss was the masses’ revolution against injustice.

“If the report I am getting from Edo is not quite interesting when injustice comes into a matter, the centre can no longer hold and that is the problem of the party. I forewarned about what is happening today in our party and if the result in Edo comes out and PDP wins, it means we don’t have APC in the south-south, that is a bad sign,” he told journalists, yesterday, in Abuja.

Okorocha, who spoke to the media ahead his 58th birthday anniversary, said: “In the Southeast, literally we can say we don’t have APC, we just managed through the Ben Johnson way to get one state and that does not make our image good.”

“The same party under the leadership of President Buhari, a man we considered a clean man, an honest man, a patriotic man and these are happening, that means it is unfortunate.

“The truth is, what I have been talking about has come to play. If PDP wins in Edo, I will not congratulate the PDP, I will congratulate the Edo people. I congratulate them for standing up against injustice because the people that voted for Obaseki are not only PDP, even people in the APC voted for him. They want to stand up for injustice, Edo people are not docile, they know what they want and how they want it,” he added.

The senator said the party died the day the leadership abandoned the progressive and democratic ideals on which it was founded. He alleged that apart from President Buhari, the other leaders of the political blocks that merged to form the party in 2015, were practically schemed out by forces that joined the party.

Okorocha said,  “this word APC was formed by four major political parties that had governors, one was the CPC-led by President Muhammadu Buhari, ACN-led by Ahmed Tinubu, ANPP-led by Ogbonnaya Onu brought their structure, APGA-led by me brought in our structure, every other person fell into this structure. The PDP group came in and joined us. I gave the name APC; I designed that logo and that was the beginning of the party and we had an understanding.

“That is the party you call APC and unless we go back to where it all started, APC can never see the light of the day and that was how we started and that was what brought President Muhammadu Buhari to office. “You cannot rule out the role of these four-key people, then CPC had only one governor in Nasarawa, APGA had only one governor, ACN came with the chunk of the governors and ANPP had a few. And we shared the first positions equally among these four parties. Now the founding fathers of the party are relegated to the backgrounds and people are coming with different interests making us play the same kind of politics that PDP played.”

Okorocha continued: “That trust and respect is what we still call APC, outside that, respect for President Muhammadu and the trust and belief that he could wake up one day and correct all these injustices and make it fine. That’s the only thing that is keeping the APC, if not that, I don’t think there is anything like APC because people are beginning to get fed up. Again, PDP is not even better, the party has its own challenges.

“In 2023, I think people are going to vote according to their conscience. People are beginning to realise that a political platform is not the best to give you what you need. People are beginning to be more politically aware that individuals are more important than the name political party”.

Also speaking on the outcome of the Edo election, the party’s governorship candidate in Imo State in the 2019 general election, Uche Nwosu, blamed the former chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, for the APC’s woeful performance at the poll.

Said Nwosu: “The former APC chairman, Adams Oshiomhole caused the defeat of the party because all he did was trying to muzzle people to accept a candidate they never wanted. It is a pity that we saw this today when a sitting governor, a credible governor of APC would leave the party to contest in another party platform and defeat a candidate brought by the party he left.

“It is not something that we in the APC should be proud of. We that are members of the APC, especially the leadership of the APC should go back to the drawing board,” he said.

Nwosu said APC is not built on dictatorship but on democratic ideals.

 “This is not what APC was built on. We expect things to be done the right way but the former chairman, Adams Oshiomhole believes that anything can come from anywhere without going through the due process. So, for me, I congratulate Godwin Obaseki. For him, he started drinking the water of APC before he went to the PDP, so I congratulate him.”

“I thank President Muhammadu Buhari who gave instructions to the security chiefs and the INEC officials to conduct a free and fair election. I think this is the freest, fair and credible election ever in this country,” he added.

…Why APC lost, by El-Rufai

KADUNA State Governor Nasir El-Rufai had on Monday said the last three weeks of campaigns proved decisive in the Edo governorship election which his party, the All Progressives Congress, lost to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

“We (APC) would have loved to win and quite frankly, I was optimistic up to three weeks ago; the polls indicated that we were going to win. I don’t know what happened in the last three weeks of the campaign,” the governor said.

“Three weeks ago, the polls clearly showed that APC was going to win but the result came out differently from what we expected.

In the week leading to Election Day, a national leader of the APC Bola Tinubu made a TV broadcast admonishing Edo people to “reject” Obaseki, a move many say was ill-advised.

However, El-Rufai further said the election was “reasonably decent”, adding “We were all worried about violence but there was very little violence or none at all.”

He also stressed the resolve of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure elections are free and fair.

Nigerians’ rejection of Bullion Van Democracy — Bode George

PDP’s victory in the Edo election held on Saturday has been described as a rejection of Bullion Van democracy by the people of Edo State.

This was contained in a statement by PDP’s for­mer deputy national chairman Chief Bode George, while speaking on his party’s defeat of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

While he commended the people of Edo State for having spoken loud and clear by vot­ing Governor Godwin Obase­ki, George maintained that Edo people had spoken unambiguously, stressing that the people were bold and brave for reject­ing the bullion van democracy.

He noted that Edo people stood against outside interlopers, adding that the people were firm and committed to the purity of the democratic pro­cess.

According to the retired Naval Commodore, Edo Electorate made their choice in the person of Obaseki, who the former national Chairman, said had braved all odds and all the dark, devious machinations and intrigues of un­democratic forces, noting that the people’s will, prevailed in the end.

Describing Obaseki’s victory over what seemed a great hurdle, he congratulated the State Governor for a well-deserved victory.    

“I con­gratulate Governor Godwin Obaseki for this well-deserved victory. I congratulate our party managers who pulled through this victory by ensuring that the right things were done at the right time. The election was peaceful, fair and just. The security oper­atives were much alert to their responsibilities. The Indepen­dent National Electoral Com­mission (INEC) too conducted itself in a worthy manner. It was apparently neutral and committed itself to the fairness doctrine which is the hallmark of democracy itself.” He said.

UK congratulates Obaseki, commends conduct of poll

THE United Kingdom, on Sunday, congratulated Godwin Obaseki on his re-election.

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, sent the wishes of the UK government in a tweet.

She also commended the people for a credible electoral process in the state.

Laing also expressed gratitude to civil society organisations, who monitored the election and their contribution towards ensuring a peaceful exercise.

“Congratulations @GovernorObaseki @PastorIzeIyamu @inecnigeria on #EdoDecides2020. @UKinNigeria team observed credible process and commend both candidates for encouraging peace. Thanks to civil society partners @YIAGA @SituationRoomNg @cleenfoundation for their invaluable work,” she tweeted.

Dudu Orumen prays for more success

THE Chairman Edo State Sports Commission, Godwin Dudu Orumen, has prayed for more success in Governor Obaseki’s second term.

The ex-international made this known in his congratulatory message to the governor.

“It is with great excitement that I, on behalf of the entire members of staff of the Edo State Sports Commission, congratulate you on your re-election for a second term as Governor at the recently concluded September 19, 2020 governorship election,” he wrote.

“Indeed it was a hard-fought election in which your enviable achievements in your first term propelled you to a well-deserved victory.

“We thank God for His mercy in granting you good health and protection during the period that made it possible for you to undertake the election project without hitches and emerged successful at the end.

“For us at the Edo Sports Commission, we rededicate ourselves to work in conformity with your well-articulated blueprint to make Edo State the first stop in sports tourism in Nigeria and hope to continue to enjoy your support and encouragement in order to make this dream a reality to the benefit of our youths who voted to overwhelm for you in the just concluded election.

“We wish you well and pray that you achieve more successes in your second term to the admiration of your supporters across the state and beyond”.

Daughter rises in defense of Ganduje

FOLLOWING the backlash received by her father over the defeat of the APC in Edo on Saturday, Fatima Ganduje-Ajumobi has come in defense of her father.

Governor Abdullahi  Ganduje was the chairman of the APC campaign council for the election which had Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as candidate. Incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP),  scored  307, 955 votes to defeat APC’s Ize-Iyamu at 223,619 votes.

Unhappy with the barrage of criticisms heaped on her father for failing to secure victory for the APC, Mrs. Ganduje-Ajimobi expressed her defense on her Twitter handle.

As soon as the contest was pronounced lost by the APC, Ganduje became a target of ridicule after he failed to live up to his well-publicised promise to send into “untimely retirement,” Obaseki’s political career and, into “obscurity,” Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, the head of the PDP campaign committee and

“We know PDP made Wike their chairman but I assure you, we will isolate Wike in an isolation centre and before he recovers, the election is over,” Ganduje had said.

Warning critics to stay away from attacking her father, Ganduje’s last daughter, Fatima said her father is one of the few elected officers who are actually implementing projects.

“I am from Kano state and Oyo state and no matter what you say or think of Ganduje, he is one of the few elected officers who are actually implementing projects. Don’t argue with me, don’t waste your data, just go to KANO STATE and see for yourself. The truth is, as Nigerians we should only consider work on ground. No one should say shit about Ganduje unless you have done equal or more work. Simple. He is not from Edo and Kano as a state is above many,” she said.

Post-Edo Poll: Buhari summons Buni, Ganduje

THERE are strong indications that the results of the just concluded Edo State election might have sent a ripple of displeasure across the hierarchy of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

It was gathered that President Buhari yesterday summoned Caretaker Committee Chairman of the ruling party, Mai Mala Buni, and the chairman of the party’s governorship election campaign for Edo State, Abdullahi Ganduje, to an urgent meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting, said to be a private one, was held behind closed doors at the President’s office.

Although the agenda of the meeting was not made public, there are insinuations that it might not be unconnected with the outcome of the Edo election

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC had declared the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, winner of the governorship election held on Saturday.

Obaseki of the People’s Democratic Party defeated Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the APC and other contestants to emerge winner of the contest.

Ganduje, who is the Governor of Kano State, was in Benin during the election but was said to have left the state on Sunday shortly before the result of the election was formally released.

Naija Times gathered that unlike the previous meetings they had with Buhari ahead of the election, Buni and Ganduje deliberately took a different route apparently to avoid any encounter with State House correspondents.

As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency has yet to issue a statement on the meeting.

Recall that Buhari had on Sunday congratulated Obaseki on his electoral victory and commended INEC.  Late on  Monday, Buni, APC, also congratulated Obaseki

Recall, too that after the meeting he had with Buhari on August 7, Ganduje, had in an interview with State House correspondents, claimed that Obaseki’s abysmal performance would make the election a mere doddle for the APC.

He boasted that the incumbency factor would not work for Obaseki.

Ganduje had said, “It (incumbency) could have been a big problem if the governor performs well while governing his state. He could have been an asset to the PDP.

“But, I assure you that the governor is a liability. In fact, it is even better for us that we are contesting with a serving governor who failed woefully.

“He failed woefully in the area of human development. He failed woefully in the area of providing infrastructural facilities to the good people of Edo State, he failed most woefully in the execution of constitutional provision in the state, especially pertaining to the legislature.

“14 members were out of the legislature for 13 good months. When we calculated, we saw those 14 legislators are representing 60 per cent of the population.

“All their constituents are unhappy that elected legislators were not given the chance to participate in the legislations in that state.

“In fact, all the legislations made should be considered as illegal. So, we are ready to fight somebody who has failed and it is an advantage to us.”