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A member of the House of Representatives, Billy Osawaru, has attributed Senator Monday Okpebholo’s victory in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State to the team spirit exhibited by party leaders and members across the three senatorial districts.
PUNCH Online reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Okpebholo the winner of the election after he garnered a total of 291,667 votes.
Asue Ighodalo and Olumide Akpata of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party finished in second and third places with 247,274 votes and 22,763 votes respectively.
Addressing journalists at the National Assembly Complex on Saturday, Osawaru, who represents Orhionmwon/Uhunmwode Federal Constituency, Edo State, described the emergence of the APC in the state’s power structure as a sign of good things to come.
He said, “With the way things were, and the governor making statements like ‘Nigeria will burn, it’s a do or die,’ and all that, the APC really had no choice but to go all out and work for its victory. We worked together and on the same page to ensure we won.
“The Federal Government stood up and ensured that there was a level playing field by deploying enough security to protect the voters and the result, irrespective of who won. And because there was enough security, the better side won.
“The APC campaigned, we worked round the clock, and the results speak for themselves.”
Describing Okpebholo as an agent of development, the lawmaker said the governor-elect and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, are ready to hit the ground running with a blueprint to drive the state’s development.
Fielding questions from journalists on allegations of vote-buying, Osawaru dismissed the claims, insisting that the APC’s victory was a result of hard work.
“I don’t know what they mean by vote-buying. What I know is that since I joined politics here in Nigeria, I have always seen people coming out to vote, and after the election, we always hear one side, especially the side that lost, accusing the winner of vote-buying.
“So, it still seems like a mirage to me when people bring up such allegations. All I can say is that we conducted an election, people came out, and we were able to convince them to vote for our party, and we won.
“If you are making such allegations, you should have proof, and by now, you should make it public. If you see somebody being paid ₦10,000, you should have video or photographic evidence to back it up.
“As an observer group, you know what to do. Take the necessary steps and decide whether you want to go to court or not, instead of making allegations.”
He also dismissed claims that the APC’s victory in Edo State amounted to the return of godfatherism, saying, “If you go to someone who has held an office before for advice, does that mean godfatherism? What it means is collaboration to ensure the development of the state.”
