The Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, on Saturday called on the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last Edo State governorship election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, to accept the ruling of the state Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

Oba Ewuare II made the call in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Benin Monarchy, Mr. Desmond Agbama.

The tribunal had on Friday dismissed the petition filed by the PDP and Ize-Iyamu against the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Godwin Obaseki, for lack of merit.

The Chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Ahmed Badamasi, who delivered the judgment, also affirmed the election of Obaseki.

The PDP and its candidate had rejected the ruling and vowed to pursue the case up to the Supreme Court.

But the Benin monarch advised Ize-Iyamu to accept the decision of the tribunal as “there was no victor and no vanquished.”

He said, “In an election, there is no victor and no vanquished. Ize-Iyamu should accept the decision of the tribunal in good faith and forge ahead in the task of providing democratic dividends for the people.”

Oba Ewuare II, however, congratulated Obaseki, whose victory he said came at a time when his services were needed the most.

He also urged the APC to support the governor in the provision of basic infrastructure and jobs for the unemployed in the state.

However, Ize-Iyamu could not be reached for his comments on the matter. He had also yet to respond to a text message sent to his mobile as of the time of filling this report.

Punchng