140,000 APC Votes Voided In Edo, Says Oshiomhole

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State says 140,000 votes meant for the All Progressives Congress were voided in the last presidential election. Oshiomhole said in spite of that, the state was the only one in the entire South South and South East geopolitical regions to give the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, over 45 per cent of the votes cast. In a broadcast to thank the people of the state for voting the All Progressives Congress in the last general elections, Oshiomhole said: “I want to formally thank you for standing by me and the government of Edo Sate during the just concluded Presidential, National Assembly and State Assembly elections. During the presidential election you refused to be swayed by the campaigns of hate, religious and ethnic bigotry. Consequently, it is on record that Edo State is the only State within the South-East and South-South geo-political zones where the President-elect General Muhammadu Buhari, secured the highest number of 45% of votes cast. “It is now clear that the about 140,000 votes out of the 150,000 voided votes were actually APC votes. If we add 140,000 votes to the 208,000 votes declared by INEC, it is clear that General Buhari won the election in Edo State. “I am very excited by this outcome. Indeed, all Nigerians other than those blinded by religious and ethnic sentiments, are proud of the outcome. I am glad that you resisted the subversive generosity, the open monetary inducement displayed by our opponents and you voted for CHANGE. I cannot thank you enough for doing us proud in the manner you voted. “In the House of Assembly election, you rose in unison to re-affirm a vote of confidence in my stewardship. You demonstrated clearly your commitment to CHANGE and your desire for us to sustain and build on the gains recorded in the last six years of my stewardship, as Governor of Edo State. “Indeed, the outcome of the just concluded elections has confirmed unequivocally that the APC is the darling of the people across the three senatorial zones of our dear State, and in fact, across Nigeria. “Not only did we win convincingly in all the 7 (seven) local Government Areas in Edo South and the 6 (six) Local Government Areas in Edo North Senatorial zones, but even in the home base of the god-father general, we still won convincingly in 3 (three) out of the 5 (five) Local Government Areas in Edo Central Senatorial zone.  I dare say with all sense of humility that it could not have been better than this. “It is manifestly clear that God has used you, the electorate, to silence all the god-fathers across the state, a small clique that has for about 16 years at the federal level and 10 years at the State level, feasted on our common patrimony, criminally privatized our resources and presided over the underdevelopment of our State. You have now effectively and permanently retired the 4 (four) political ruling houses across the State that have kept our State and our people in political bondage. “In the same vein you have enthroned a new leadership and a new culture of politics and governance that is based on popular participation, inclusion and development. “The full import of these and other political developments must not be lost on us. We are now more than ever before, determined to continue to harness and manage our resources in such a way that it delivers the greatest good for the greatest number of our people. “Over the past six years, in our bid to improve the lot of our people, through aggressive urban renewal, rural development and revenue generation, we may have offended some individuals or groups. To those we have inadvertently offended by our actions or inactions, I offer my unreserved apologies. However, to those that had deliberately constituted themselves as cogs in the wheel of progress, we have no regrets. “Now all hands must be on deck. With the support of President-elect General Muhammadu Buhari, we are well positioned to do all we need, to take Edo State to the Next Level.”