Oba Of Benin Congratulates Obaseki, Hails Buhari

BENIN -  Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, has congratulated Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki for his re-election on Saturday.

He also hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for ensuring free and violence-free election.

He also lauded all the governorship candidates, members of the 14 participating political parties and their teeming supporters for adhering to his advice on violence-free election in Edo.

Oba of Benin, in a statement by the Secretary of Benin Traditional Council, Frank Irabor, urged Edo residents to support Obaseki, describing the voice of the people as the voice of God.

Irabor said: “On behalf of the Oba of Benin, the Benin Traditional Council wishes to congratulate Governor Obaseki on his re-election for a second term.

“As His Royal Majesty (Oba of Benin) said on numerous occasions, the Benin throne is non-partisan. On Election Day, the people spoke, because the voice of the people is the voice of God.

“The Oba of Benin thanks all the candidates for adhering to the advice for a violent-free election given to them during the peace meeting in the Oba’s palace before the election, which has been widely-acclaimed to have doused the tension that was building up before the poll.”

The eminent monarch also hailed former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.) for initiating signing of the peace accord, which involved the governorship candidates and chairmen of the 14 participating political parties.

He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headed by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for the peaceful and successful election, while hailing the security agencies for a job well done.