Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State; his Sokoto State counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal; and Uche Secondus, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have told Adams Oshiomhole, a former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), that Edo State does not need a political father.
The trio stated this on Saturday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, Edo State, during the flag-off of the PDP campaign for the Edo State governorship election, scheduled to hold on 19 September.
Governor Wike, who is Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council for Edo State Governorship Election, said the Edo people must reject godfatherism, and noted that nobody would be allowed to rig the election.
He said the South-South region belongs to the PDP, adding that Godwin Obaseki, the PDP candidate and incumbent Edo State Governor, will be re-elected.
He said: “Former APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, is making a U-turn to lick his vomit by presenting a candidate he earlier rejected and castigated. Today, we are here to tell the people of Edo State that they should not be afraid because nobody can rig the forthcoming election.
“Today is the end of godfatherism in Edo State. I want to thank Governor Godwin Obaseki for refusing to dance to the tune of godfatherism.
“Four years ago, Adams Oshiomhole said he cannot trust the APC governorship candidate that he was rusticated from school.
“Today, Oshiomhole is coming back to present the same person to Edo people. He thinks Edo people are fools. I challenge Edo people not to vote any person presented to them by Oshiomhole.”
While applauding Obaseki for his performance in the last four years, he added, “As the Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council, I will be in Edo State, we will make sure that everything needed is done to return our PDP.
“Governor Obaseki has done well in the last four years. You should not allow anybody to deceive you again.”
In his remarks, Governor Tambuwal criticised Oshiomhole for purportedly wanting to be a godfather, a practice he once spoke and fought against.
“He (Oshiomhole) was all over the place in the past, condemning godfatherism, but now wants to become a godfather in Edo,” Tambuwal said.
He called on Governor Obaseki to rely on God and the people to defeat his political enemies of the state as he did in his own state of Sokoto.
The former speaker of the House of Representatives also urged Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to ensure that a free and fair election is conducted in the state on 19 September.
Presenting the PDP flag to Obaseki as the party’s candidate, Secondus described the governor as a gentleman and performer.
The PDP Chairman stated that the party was proud of the performances of governors on its platform.
He stated that godfatherism would not be allowed in the state and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the governorship election is free and fair.
Responding, Governor Obaseki promised to sustain good governance in the state.
He stated that he and his supporters left the APC because the ruling party was lawless, adding that he will not resort to violence before, during and after the election.
He said: “We left them because of their lawlessness. We will not, no matter how provoked resort to the same lawlessness. I want to thank you and assure you that God has given us victory.
“We understand that the opposition party has now resorted to violence, please we do not want bloodshed. One of their billionaires hired a lot of thugs today around the Obas palace and I hear they are busy destroying cars with PDP flag. Do not retaliate, God will retaliate for us.
“Four years ago, I made a promise to you that we are going to transform Edo State, that Edo is the heartbeat of Nigeria, the transformation of Edo will lead to the transformation of Nigeria and by the grace of God, that is beginning to happen and it must happen in this election.”
Governor Obaseki said the mandate given to him and his deputy, Phillip Shaibu, to fly the PDP’s flag in the governorship election is because of the work his administration has done in the last four years.
“This mandate that has been given to us is simple, what you are saying as a party is we like what you have done in the last four years, please go back and continue and improve on what you have done.
“In the last four years, we put our people first. Nothing else matters more than our people even though that put us in trouble but we didn’t care because the voice of our people is the voice of God.
“Because we were working for our people, God almighty has supported us. That is why we are here today because what has happened to us in the politics of this country can best be described as miraculous,” he said.
The event also had in attendance the governors of Bayelsa, Douye Diri; Oyo, Seyi Makinde; Bauchi, Senator Bala Mohammed; Delta, Ifeanyi Okowa; and the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi.
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