It was all sound and fury on Saturday at the Mega Rally of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) in the countdown to the September 21 Edo State governorship election as the national officers of the party and Governor Godwin Obaseki belched out threats of bloodbath if the election was compromised in any way to the detriment of the party....READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE ▶▶
Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Ilia Damagun, at the rally held at the Garrick Memorial Secondary school field in Benin City, declared that the Edo State September 21st governorship election will be a test for the country’s democracy, urging Nigerians to focus their eyes on the state.
Addressing a mega rally of the party at Garrick Memorial Secondary school in Benin City, attended by the Presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, and several PDP governors and former governors, Damagun said “You have to kill or arrest all of us if you have to take this state.
“You may have gang, but we have God. To INEC, we don’t want that midnight result announcement. It is not a threat, but we will defend our votes with our blood”, he said, promising that PDP will continue to give Edo State good governance.
Governor Obaseki in his address, rubbished the achievements of his predecessor, and declared the election “a do-or-die”. He said “The person I took over from didn’t have respect for our people and women. Women were going for trafficking and prostitution; today, is it still there? No. When I came, they said teachers could not read and they abandoned them, and today, Edo is number one in Education.
“When I came, they said civil servants were not good and corrupt and were not paid salary on time but do today, we have the best civil service in Nigeria. When we took over, pensioners were wearing black on Labour Day but today, they are wearing white. Now, we have Edo Jobs, Edo Innovate, Edo Creative Hub. So, after eight years, with all these achievements, do you want to go back? Is Edo not the safest state in Southern Nigeria? Is our vigilante not the best trained in Nigeria? But now, they want to remove them.
“This is an existential threat, and this election is a do-or-die because if do we will die. Do you want insecurity? Do you want people that didn’t go to school to come and lead us? Next week Saturday is the election; you will vote for PDP and our next governor will be Asue Ighodalo”.
Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar recalled how “In 2020, they said they will not allow us to win but we showed them Edo nor be Lagos. This time again, we are going to show them Edo nor be Lagos.
“You can’t come and steal vote here in Edo, therefore protect your votes, defend your votes. Make sure your votes are entered; escort your votes, and make sure they are announced. And if you do that, nobody can change your votes, and you are winning come September 21”.
On his part, Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Adolphous Wabara, cautioned the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, not to announce results of the election until he was sure. He further urged the INEC boss to correct the wrongs of the 2023 general elections and go on a peaceful retirement.
The Chairman, National Campaign Council for the Edo 2024 Governorship Election and Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, warned against compromising the electoral process on Saturday.
Talking tough, Fintiri said “We cannot be intimidated. We will tell them we know how to win election. No body will rig us out.” The national campaign council chairman encouraged Edo people to come out en masse and vote for the PDP candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo.
Governor Fintiri said “Obaseki has made a mark in Edo State in terms of development, performance, and human capacity development. Edo people need to vote right to bring in another competent person like Obaseki or a man better than Obaseki.
“We should support and vote for Asue Ighodalo because he is the most credible candidate for this election. We will all be here next Saturday. We can’t be intimidated or threatened by anybody or party. We will vote, protect, and defend our votes and ensure Asue Ighodalo wins the election.”
Taunting the candidate of the opposition, Fintiri said “You cannot at this point of our history, where insecurity has engulfed everywhere, bring someone who has said he is going to bring insecurity to Edo State.”
Responding after he and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, were presented with the flags of the party by Damagun, Ighodalo promised to take the state to the next level, noting that Obaseki had built a solid foundation for the state.
Ighodalo said “We will govern with sincerity, and transparency, and do what will make Edo great again. PDP is a party of courage, and we have the courage to fight and win our elections come September 21st, 2024. We promise to take Edo to the next level and place the state amongst the first world states.”
The PDP delegation, led by Atiku Abubakar, included the Vice-presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 general election, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Iliya Damagum, and the PDP Governors Forum led by its chairman and governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed.
Governors on the entourage were: Siminialayi Fubara of Rivers; Douye Diri of Bayelsa; Peter Mbah of Enugu; Umoh Eno of Akwa Ibom, Ademola Adeleke of Osun; and Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, among others.
Former governors present were, Liyel Imoke and Donald Duke of Rivers State; former Minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Maina Waziri, serving senators, former deputy governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, members of the PDP National Working Committee, among other leaders and chieftains of the PDP.
The visitors were received at the Benin Airport by the host governor, Godwin Obaseki, and the PDP governorship candidate, Ighodalo. They proceeded to pay a visit to the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Gabriel Igbinedion, at his residence in Benin City, to felicitate with him on his 90th birthday celebration, before proceeding to Garrick Memorial School venue of the grand finale of the governorship campaign rally.
