The former National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, says he would have been pronounced dead if he had lost his senatorial ambition in the 2023 general election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in February 2023, declared Oshiomhole the winner of the senatorial election for Edo North Senatorial District in Edo State.

With 107,110 votes, the former governor of Edo State was declared the winner of the poll defeating the incumbent Senator Francis Alimekhena of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 55,344 votes.

Speaking at the post-inauguration/thank you party hosted in his honour by friends and well-wishers at his country home, Iyamho, Etsako, Edo State, on Saturday, July 1, Oshiomhole said his blood pressure would have risen to 360 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg) if he lost the election.

He said: “If you have voted against me, I don’t know my blood pressure will now be 240/0360 that is if I’m still alive.

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“Because the jubilations by the opponent would have been such that they will come and lock my small door and break my small bones, but you said no.”

Oshiomhole said many governors lost their in their bids to become senator, adding that it would have been a shame to him if he also lost.

The former governor expressed his appreciation to the people of Edo North for voting for him as a senator, after leaving office as governor just as he thanked the people for voting for President Bola Tinubu at the presidential election, adding that Edo North district was the only district where Tinubu won in the state.

He pledged his commitment to represent Edo North very well, adding that he has an obligation to ensure that the state benefited more from Tinubu’s administration.

Oshiomhole said: “There were sitting governors who contested for Senate across the country and many of them lost. I left office seven years ago and my people still honoured me with victory; how can I thank you enough?

“Afeanmi people when you go back to your wards and units tell your people that I am very very grateful.

“During the campaign, I told you if you want to give me one vote give it to Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“I am very proud to say and to repeat today here and now that in each of these six Local Government Areas every ward Bola Ahmed Tinubu won, every ward Adams Oshiomhole won.

“I will proudly carry the result and I will say Mr President this is my certificate of the people of Edo North that voted for you.”

The Star