The senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has said rain contributed to the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at last Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
He said the timing of the election was in APC’s favour as floods took over the city before and during the election, thus exposing the failure of the PDP administration in the state.
Speaking on Channels TV on Monday evening, a jubilant Oshimhole also explained why he knelt before the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II.
According to him, he knelt before the Oba of Benin because he understood and respected the traditional institution of the Benin people.
He described the outgoing governor, Godwin Obaseki, as a failure, who could not point out any primary or secondary school he built during his eight years as governor.
“I’m excited that we won and I have the rare privilege of presiding over the affairs of Edo State as a governor for eight years and I understand the needs of the people,” he said.
“I know what the state was when I left and what it is today and to some extent, not a few people believe that I should be blamed for Obaseki’s failures and woeful performance,” he said.
He stated that, “During the campaign, you listened to us and Obaseki; you can’t say he pointed at this ultra-modern primary school that he built or there is this secondary school he built. Instead, Ighodalo said he would extend broadband to Edo North. Earlier in the year, Obaseki and Ighodalo said they had done a feasibility study and there is approval from FAAN to construct an airport in Edo North.
“They assured the Oba of Benin that the great people of Benin will have a seaport in Ghereghere, they brought former Vice President Osinbajo to do a groundbreaking of the industrial park, yet none of this has taken place. If you go there, these places are occupied by Lizards and snakes.
“Even the drainage I did to deflood Benin City, he compromised it and this is the rainy season, so the timing of this election was good for us and bad for the PDP because when it rains nobody can step out of his house.
“They have nothing to parade order than that Asue was the Chairman of one million boards and had made money, but what Edo people know him for is that he was just a transaction partner.
“As a sitting Governor of Edo State, I understand and respected the
institution of the Oba of Benin and all the royal fathers of Edo State.
“I always kneel down before the Oba and will always do so, even when the current Oba asked me not to do so. A father is always a father,” he said.
Oshimhole led the APC candidate before the election to the Oba and courted him successfully after he fell out with Obaseki. The Oba reportedly endorsed the APC candidate and told the youth from the southern senatorial zone to omobikise and vote for him after Obaseki banned their activities.
Meanwhile, Yiaga Africa, one of the leading observer groups deployed for the election condemned flagrant manipulation and alteration of the results by INEC officials and security officers especially at the Oshiomhole senatorial zone.