Buhari said he congratulated me reluctantly -Obaseki

 

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Friday, said the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), jokingly told him that he reluctantly congratulated him on his re-election because he defeated the candidate of his party.

 

The governor, who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party beat Osagie Ize-Iyamu of Buhari’s All Progressives Congress and others to win the last Saturday’s governorship election in Edo state.

 

Obaseki disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of a meeting he had with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

 

He said, “Mr President, in his characteristic humorous manner, said he reluctantly congratulated me for beating his party.

 

“He also pointed out that his role, first and foremost as President of Nigeria, is to be President of all regardless of your party, race, tribe, creed.

 

“We couldn’t ask for more from Mr President, he really played the role of his statement.”

 

Obaseki said he and members of his entourage were in the Presidential Villa to thank Buhari for his insistence that the governorship election in the state must be credible.

 

“For that act alone, we felt we must come and say thank you. I am not just coming along with my deputy, we came to say thank you with the representatives of Edo people – our senators, members of the House of Representatives, our senior citizens and party leaders,” he said.

 

Details later…