Edo Election: Why I should be declared governor – Pastor Ize-Iyamu

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate in the September 28, 2016 governorship election in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has appealed to the Justice Ahmed Badamasi-led election tribunal to declare him winner of the poll having polled more votes than the State Governor, Godwin Obaseki.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had in September declared Godwin Obaseki, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, winner of the keenly-contested governorship election in the state.

Following his loss at the the governorship election in the state, Ize-Iyamu and the PDP had filed a petition before the Justice Badamasi-led tribunal sitting in Benin, the Edo State capital, seeking to upturn the declaration of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Ize-Iyamu, who was led in evidence, on Monday, by Mallam Yusuf Alli, SAN, alleged that the election of Obaseki was invalid due to alleged corrupt practices.

The PDP governorship candidate stressed that the state governor was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the election.

He argued that Obaseki’s election was invalidated for alleged non- compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended.

The clergyman maintained that he scored the highest number of votes in the election which was held across 2,629 polling units in the state.

“I want the tribunal to declare me as the winner of the election, having scored the majority votes,” he said.