Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, today said the President Muhammadu Buhari jocularly told him that he reluctantly congratulated him on his re-election because he defeated the candidate of his party.

Recall that Obaseki 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.

The governor made the disclosure to State House correspondents at the end of a meeting he had with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja where he stated: “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.”

The newly re-elected governor added that 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.

More to come…