I prayed to ancestors for Oshiomhole to win – Bini monarch

Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa.

BENIN CITY – Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa, yesterday, July 17, 2012, said he prayed to his ancestors and God Almighty to give Governor Adams Oshiomhole victory in last weekend’s election, so that he can complete the laudable projects his administration had started.

The monarch spoke when Governor Oshiomhole and his deputy, Dr Pius Odubu, visited him in his palace, where the governor presented his Certificate of Return to the Oba.

Before the Oba spoke, he brought out a special kola and hot drink, which he mandated the Iyase of Benin kingdom to pray with for the second tenure of Oshiomhole.

In his prayers, the Iyase thanked God and the ancestors for ensuring victory for Oshiomhole and prayed that the gods will provide the wherewithal with which the governor will use to continue his infrastructural development.

Addressing the governor, the Oba said, he had always prayed for the success of the governor privately but that he had now decided to address him publicly now that God and the ancestors had given him victory.

He said: “I have addressed you privately and prayed for you for your second term. You are welcomed to my palace. We have watched what you have done, like what the media is saying that your hand work is going to campaign for you. I prayed to my ancestors for you too and every body has seen what you are doing for the people.

“Some of the roads that were- left in a bad state, we have seen what you have done. And, of course, not only Benin Kingdom but the entire state, infrastructural developments are going on. The last time you came, I prayed to the ancestors to assist you come back to complete the works your started.  As my Chief was praying, he added in his prayers that God and the ancestors should provide you the wherewithal to carry on with your infrastructural development and do more.”

Earlier, Oshiomhole thanked  the Oba for the support to his administration and assured that he would use the resources of the state to build a new Benin City in his second tenure.

 

Edo election: Oshiomhole’s condemnation is hasty, says PDP

Peoples Democratic Party`s Logo (PDP)

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s condemnation of the governorship election in Edo, while the accreditation process was still on, as hasty and slammed him for frantically attempting to destroy the integrity of the election.

Director of Publicity of the PDP in the State, Mr. Okharedia Ihimekpen, who reacted to Oshiomhole’s condemnation of the process, said the governor had seen the writing on the wall and was trying to raise the unnecessary alarm in order to rationalize his eventual defeat at the poll.

Ihimekpen said that Oshiomhole had suddenly realized that “the security and the electoral body are insisting on accreditation of voters whose names are in the voter registers in line with the one man, one vote mantra.

“Reports that reached us from Oshiomhole’s area in Edo North indicated that under-age voters and persons without voter cards were not allowed to get into the premises of the polling station by security men.

“The governor gave himself away as a possible beneficiary of votes by these unqualified voters when he claimed that voters in the area have been disenfranchised.  Is he saying those not qualified to vote should be allowed to do so?”
Ihimekpen stated that the governor’s claim that INEC planned to rig the election in Edo South was also ridiculous and patently deceptive, pointing out that “Edo South is the stronghold of the PDP governorship candidate, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (retd) and a majority of his supporters are from the zone.

 “If Oshiomhole is claiming that INEC is planning to rig election in Edo South, it stands to reason that the rigging is being done against our candidate whose stronghold is Edo South.  Is Oshiomhole saying that Edo South people will reject their son?”

He, however, said that “reports that have reached us thus far from Edo South Senatorial Zone did not suggest any manipulation by the INEC.  The report was that the electoral body had been on top of some minor hitches in the distribution of materials in some isolated polling units, about two or three and the issue had been resolved and the process was progressing smoothly.”

Ihimekpen advised that rather than resort to these “frenzied and desperate antics of intimidation and blackmail against the INEC, the parties must do all within their powers to assist the electoral body to deliver on a credible election.”