Edo guber: It will be a sin against God if I walk away from Edo – Obaseki
– The Edo state governorship election is approaching fast
– Interested politicians have started declaring their interest
– The race to Osadebey House is expected to be a fierce one
The chairman of Edo state economic team and a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Godwin Obaseki, has declared that it will be a sin against God and the people of the state if he failed to contest in the September 10 gubernatorial election in the state.
He made the statement on Friday in Benin, at the formal public declaration of his intention to seek the mandate of the party to fly its flag at the governorship election.
L-R: Speaker of Edo state House of Assembly; Elizabeth Ativie, Godwin Obaseki and commisioner of worsk; Osarodion Ogie at the event
He said: “It will be a sin against God and my people if I walk away from Edo state with the knowledge and experience that I have gathered. It will be unpatriotic not to stand and be counted. Over the last thirty years I have had successful experience in the private sector and over the last seven years I have been part of the most successful administration in Nigeria which is Edo state.
“As this administration comes to an end, we are faced with new challenges, as you all know the price of crude oil has reduced significantly, therefore Nigeria is not able to earn enough foreign exchange to import its goods and services. This has brought economic hardship to many of us. These challenges pose new threats to us. In the face of these challenges, we need a leadership with fresh and original ideas to help us face these challenges, so that we can build on the success of the Oshiomhole led administration.
“We must be courageous and determined to achieve the goals we want for our people. I therefore stand before you today, on the shoulders of the successes built by the current administration over the last seven and half years,we have transformed Edo state in all aspects. However, the Edo project is still work in progress and we are now in the most delicate part of the journey. We cannot afford any reversal in the achievements we have made today.
“There are a lot more we still need to do. We still have to construct thousands of kilometres of road into our rural communities and into farms. We still need to improve our school infrastructure. We need to further strengthen our service delivery to our people, we need to address the unemployment problem which is facing us. It will be a huge risk for all of us if we reverse political powers to those who lack the deep understanding of how we got to where we are and how we have achieved what we have achieved and how we will make the link between what we have achieved and our future.
“If we make the mistake of giving power to such people we will go back and suffer more than we have ever suffered before. By the grace of God that will never happen in Edo state.I am very proud and happy that I have been an integral part of the success we have achieved in Edo state. The knowledge I have gained in the last seven and half years have put me in a unique position to understand what is required to take Edo to the next level.
“I believe that I can fly Edo higher. What Edo state needs today is a leader who in addition to political sagacity has the managerial, and intellectual experience to manage the state in this difficult time. Over the last sixteen weeks, I have consulted extensively with elder statesmen across the state, with my colleagues in government, with my family and friends and with delegates around the 192 wards of Edo state, I stand before you today with the commitment to ensuring that what we have achieved is not only sustained but so that we can guarantee the future of our children.
“So that we can provide empowerment for our women, our pensioners, civil servants, markets women, our artisans with deeper involvement with our traditional institutions. I therefore announce to you all that I am seeking the ticket of the APC so that I can fly the flag of APC come September 10, 2016. I pledge to build Edo state that has a strong economy, I will continue to build the infrastructural revolution that we have started.
“We have been able to manage the finances of Edo state better and ensured that there is transparency in government. We have improved service delivery to our people through the use of ICT. This government has executed several projects in all aspects, it is because of this transparency that Edo state remains the only few states that has been able to pay salaries.”
READ ALSO: Edo guber: Political parties move to ease tension
Following the announcement of Edo state commissioner for works, Engineer Osarodion Ogie, as his campaign director, many prominent members of the party also declared their support for his aspiration, in what looked like a pre-arranged endorsement galore.
It will be recalled that Ogie himself allegedly expressed interest in contesting for the ticket of the APC in the party primaries, until he was allegedly ‘ordered to go and market Obaseki.’
Shortly after, Ogie endorsed Obaseki on behalf of members of the Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s political family, saying that they will not embark on any hate campaign because “we have a good product. You cannot build your house and abandon it for a tenant to take over. People are shouting continuity, continuity, what are you going to continue, it is Oshiomhole’s work.
“Who is the best person to do the work? Obaseki! The game just started, we will not abuse anybody but anybody that abuses us, we will reply. I speak for Oshiomhole political family, we have endorsed Obaseki and the game has just began,” he declared.
The majority leader of the Edo state House of Assembly, Folly Ogedengbe followed, endorsing Obaseki on behalf of the Edo North people, just as former deputy governor of the state, Lucky Imasuen endorsed Obaseki on behalf of Edo South, while the deputy speaker of the House, Justin Okonobo endorsed him on behalf of the people of Edo Central.
The endorsement of the APC lawmakers in the state House of Assembly was pronounced by Chris Okaeben, representing Oredo constituency.
Others who endorsed him include the youth wing of APC led by Tony Kabaka, past chairmen of local government councils led by Morrison Ogunrobo, market women and several leaders of the party.
NAIJ.com reporter sighted many members of the Edo state executive council at the Urhokpota Hall where the event took place.
READ ALSO: What police plans to do over alleged attack on Oshiomhole’s deputy
Meanwhile, Governor Adams Oshiomhole has stated that the crisis in Edo APC was blown out of proportion by those he said were rehabilitated by the party.
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