Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee, Governor Mai Mala Buni, his Kogi State counterpart, Yahaya Bello, on Wednesday in Abuja met behind closed door with the candidate of the party at the recently concluded Edo State governorship election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. The meeting was the first between the party’s national leadership is meeting with the APC candidate after the governorship election. Although the details of the closed-door meeting with Ize-Iyamu which took place Wednesday afternoon at the Abuja residence of governor Buni, was sketchy, a reliable source said it was not unconnected with the effort to pacify him to let go and forget the outcome of the election.
“I can’t tell you the outcome of the meeting but I know for sure that the party leadership want to persuade Pastor Ize-Iyamu to accept in good faith the outcome of the election. The meeting centred on way forward for Pastor Ize-Iyamu after the Edo election,” the source noted..The APC leadership had in a statement signed by Governor Buni congratulated the winner of the election, Governor Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In the statement titled, “Edo State Governorship Election: Victory for Democracy”, the ruling party noted that the “conduct of the election and its outcome represent victory for Nigeria’s democracy”
According to the party; “the September 19, 2020 Edo State governorship election is over, the winner has been declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the person of the Mr. Godwin Obaseki, candidate of the PDP. We hereby congratulate the winner of the election, the people of Edo State and all Nigerians. The peaceful conduct of the election and its outcome represent victory for Nigeria’s democracy.”
The party said it joined President Muhammadu Buhari, who had on Sunday congratulated the winner of the election, to affirm ‘‘commitment to free and fair elections’’ in order to strengthen ‘the foundation for our political and moral authority’.