I would have won with a wider margin – Oshiomhole

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BARELY 24 hours after he was declared winner of the Saturday governorship poll, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, said he would have won with a wider margin. The governor said this on Monday after a dramatic appearance at the Presidential Villa.

Oshiomhole arrived at the Council Chambers while the swearing-in of the new Chief Justice of Nigeria, Aloma Mukhtar, was rounding off and stood at the entrance where attendees at the inauguration of Mukhtar congratulated the re-elected Edo governor for his victory at the poll.

Dignitaries, including minister and chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party whose candidate was defeated in the election, took turns to shake hands with Oshiomhole.

The Edo governor followed then President Goodluck Jonathan back to his office. He entered the President’s office at 11.30 am and came out 30 minutes after.

The details of the governor’s meeting with the President were not made known to journalists.

While briefing journalists after his closed door session with the President on Monday, Oshiomhole boasted that but for the initial hiccups recorded in the early stage of the Saturday election, he would have won with a wider margin.

“The number could have been higher than that if materials had arrived at 8am…but for the fact that people had strong passion, strong commitment to vote for me, when they waited for four hours they would have gone home

The former labour leader commended President Jonathan on his stance on free and fair elections.

He said the Edo case was a proof that the nation was capable of organising credible elections.

He said, “For me, what the Edo election has confirmed is that when the President and Commander-in-Chief puts the country first and foremost conducts himself as a statesman and not just a party leader, credible elections are possible.

“People were apprehensive that the Nigerian Army could be misused. But of course I told them I didn’t think they were right because the President gave a clear directive that the votes must count. He warned that there would be no rigging, no manipulation, no ballot snatching and orders were given to the army to ensure none of those things happened and the Army carried out the order.”