Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River has congratulated his Edo counterpart, Gov. Godwin Obaseki, on his re-election.
Obaseki, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) polled 307, 955 votes to defeat his closest rival, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 223,619 votes.
Ayade described Obaseki’s victory at the polls as well deserved considering his achievements in the past four years.
This is contained in a statement released by Ayade’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Christian Ita, to journalists on Sunday in Calabar.
Ayade’ said, “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, your victory did not come as a surprise.
“Your re-election, therefore, represents a bold and emphatic testimony to the good works you had done in the past four years.”
He, however, urged Obaseki to see his victory as a clarion call to do more for Edo people who had reposed their confidence in him in the last four years.
The governor who expressed his delight that Obaseki’s re-election had now brought the entire South South zone under the PDP family, urged him to be magnanimous in victory.
He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies for their neutrality in the election.
“The election has been fought and won and it is refreshing to note that our great party, the PDP, has maintained its total control of our geo-political zone, the South south.
“Having won a hard-fought election, I encourage you to be magnanimous in victory by extending an olive branch to your opponents on the other side,” he added. (NAN)
