INEC issues Obaseki certificate of return

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented a certificate of return to Godwin Obaseki as the elected governor of Edo state.

Obaseki and Philip Shaibu, his deputy, both of whom contested in the state governorship election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were presented with the certificate in Edo on Tuesday.

The commission had declared him the winner of the Saturday poll after he got the highest votes.

May Agbamuche-Mbu, INEC south-south national commissioner who presented him with the certificate, said Obaseki fulfilled all the constitutional requirements to emerge winner of the election.

The governor was re-elected after securing 307,955 votes across 18 local government areas (LGAs) while Osagie Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), came second with 223,619 votes.

The PDP candidate, who will begin his second term in office in November, 2020, won in 13 LGAs while Ize-Iyamu won in five.

Total votes cast is 550,242 while the total number of valid votes in the election is 537,407, and rejected votes – 12,835.

Ize-Iyamu is yet to concede the election though. After the results were announced, he hinted at challenging the outcome in court, saying his supporters were disenfranchised.

But his party has since accepted the results. The APC leadership described the outcome as a victory for democracy and asked Ize-Iyamu to congratulate Obaseki.