Edo 2020: Tambuwal hits Oshiomhole, ‘You can’t condemn godfatherism everywhere and want to be godfather’, as Wike spits fire at PDP campaign flag-off

*I gave Obaseki the tip to demolish godfatherism in Edo – Sokoto Gov

*Advises INEC boss against being used by APC to rig election

*Asks him to build on Jega’s legacies of ‘One-Man One Vote’

*Nobody can rig Edo election – Rivers Gov

*How Oshiomhole’s “grid” cost APC its South South’s only stronghold – Aggrieved APC members

*PDP now proudest as only party with ownership of whole zone, doing well in others – Observers

*Major boost for Obaseki’s reelection as thousands of APC members join PDP

By Our Reporters

The Edo State campaign flag-off of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Saturday July 25, 2020, provided yet another for Governor of Sokoto State, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, to take a swipe at sacked national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, when he to the people of the state why a man who is not consistent and has no principle cannot dictate to them who to vote for during the September 19 governorship election.

Governor Tambuwal who, in his speech, said the prayers of the people of Sokoto are with Obaseki, said Oshiomhole cannot everywhere condemning godfatherism only to turn around and want to be godfather and dictate how a sitting governor should run a state only him (the governor) and not Oshiomhole will be held accountable for.

He however did not directly mention names.

He said, “You cannot eat your cake and still have it. You cannot be everywhere condemning godfatherism and you want to be a godfather. Edo is a strategic state. We know where we are coming from and so no one can come to Edo to claim superiority.

“I gave Obaseki the tip on how to demobilise godfathers. I advise that he should continue to hold on to God Almighty and not individuals. Persons can disappoint you but God cannot. That was what we did in Sokoto that demobilised all the forces both within and from afar. Votes must count,” Tambuwal said.

The Sokoto Governor advised the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, to build on the legacies of his predecessor, Prof Attahiru Jega, who ensured one man one vote, saying that he should not allow anybody to use him.

Tambuwal called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rise up to the occasion, stressing that though his anti-corruption fight has been challenging, he should not fail to guarantee a free, fair and credible election in Edo and to Nigerians in 2023.

Also present at the PDP’s flag-off governorship campaign held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City on Saturday was Rivers State Governor and National Chairman of the Campaign Council for the Edo election, Mr Nyesom Wike.

Warning that the state would be a no-go-area for the rigging by the All Progressives Congress (APC), Wike said that any attempt to do so will be resisted.

He declared that: “Nobody can rig this Edo election. No one man can decide what happens in Edo. Today ends godfatherism in the state.

“The only thing that keeps the APC going is that they believe in rigging, but this very one, it will be very, very difficult.”

The Rivers State governor urged the Edo State people to rise up and defend their votes and should not allow anyone, whether security agency or Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) personnel to rig the election.

He added: “Vote and protect your votes and nothing will happen to anybody because I believe Obaseki has done well and the election is already won.

“Obaseki is one of the best things that have happened to PDP. He has done well by resisting godfathers. Now, there is no hope for APC as Edo is now a PDP State. We will not allow them to take Edo,” Wike said.

On his part, the Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, stated that he was a happy man because the PDP is now in control of all the states in the South-South, with Edo joining the fold without fighting any electoral battle in the state 12 years after the party lost it.

Also speaking, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, praised Governor Obaseki for proving his mettle at the Governors’ Forum; he asked the people of Edo not to allow mediocrities to take over the running of the State, adding: “You must not seat and relax because politics is war for freedom and liberty.”

The Governors of Oyo and Bayelsa states, Engr Seyi Makinde and Mr. Duoye Diri, respectively, in their speech, said that the only way to guarantee good work in Edo is for the people to come out and vote for the PDP.

Senate Minority Leader Enyinnaya Abaribe said that time had come for the people of Edo to reject the APC for broken promises.

The National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus, said that Nigeria is at a crossroad and appealed to President Buhari not to be distracted by the happenings in the APC, but to provide security and ensure a free and fair election for Nigerians.

“Edo election is going to be the first step in the presidency. All eyes are focused on Edo election and whether he will give Nigerian a free, fair and equitable election,” he said.

Secondus later handed the PDP flag to Obaseki, saying: “The man we are here for today is an accomplished person. Today, we are very proud of him and his achievements in Edo State. All of our governors are stars while others are busy preventing the promotion of democracy.

“If you entre Benin City, the place has been transformed. Therefore, on behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, I present the victory flag of PDP to continue to provide good governance to the people of Edo State. God will deliver you, stretching His right hand of righteousness upon you.”

Governor Obaseki, in his speech, promised to continue the transformation of Edo, declaring that “the flag you have given us is a further mandate to say you like what we have done, go back and continue what you are doing.

“In the past four years, we have put the people first even though some people did not like that but we are not bothered to say it should be the people first before any of us.”

He disclosed that a programme, Make Edo Great Again (MEGA), will be rolled out to restore hope and chart a future for the people of the state.

Some aggrieved members of APC have blamed what PDP brags upon today on personal greed of Adams Oshiomhole. They said those who imposed him in the first place were architect of the destruction that the party nearly got until his sack.

This is also as some observers noted that PDP is now the proudest political family as, despite doing well in other zones, it has virtually two of six geopolitical zones it controls with total group on one.

One of them told our reporter that, “PDP, unfortunately has truly been helped by APC leadership of recent time to bounce back. Truly in the sense that we heard the hint but thought it was a rumour. How can a party leader be told about his wrongs and he feels he knows it all?”

Major boost for Obaseki’s reelection as thousands of APC members join PDP

Ahead of the September 19, 2020 gubernatorial election in Edo State, also, the re-election bid of Governor Godwin Obaseki received a major boost as his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Saturday received more defectors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oredo Local Government Area.

Amidst cheers and fanfare, leader of the APC in Oredo Ward 3, Comrade Fidelis Owen, led thousands of APC members to the PDP, reaffirming their support for the second term aspiration of Governor Obaseki and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu.

Oredo Ward 11 also witnessed mass defection as leaders of the APC, in the ward, Mr. Tony Alile and Mr. Hon Godwin Igbinoba led other leaders, executives and members of the party to the PDP.

Comrade Owen said they were pitching tent with the PDP because of its capacity and the performance of the party’s standard-bearer, Governor Godwin Obaseki.

“We have decided to lead thousands of our members and executives to the PDP to support the governor’s second term bid because of his developmental strides across all sectors of the state. We’re confident that come September 19, 2020, Governor Obaseki will come out victorious.”

The APC Oredo Ward 3 members that defected include 19 ward executives, two local government executives, all political appointees in Ward 3, among several others.

The defected members were received by the leader of the PDP in Ward 3, Prof. Faith Osama-Osadolor and the party’s chairman, Hon. Nelson Ogbonmwam.

Osadolor noted: “I want to welcome our brothers, sisters and fathers who hitherto were in APC but are here today for the burial ceremony of the APC. When one’s child is doing well, we must say it. We will produce unprecedented result for Governor Obaseki on September 19, 2020.”

Oredo Ward 11 leader, Alile, said: “It has been development upon development in Edo State; even a blind man can see what Governor Godwin Obaseki is doing. The people that are against Governor Godwin Obaseki today don’t mean well for Edo State; that is why I decided with my teeming supporters and all executives and members of Oredo Ward 11 to join the PDP, because of the landmark achievements of the governor.

“We want to give him another four years to continue the good work he started.”

Receiving the defectors in Ward 11, the Oredo PDP Chairman, Comrade Oduwa Igbinosun, said: “Obaseki has brought so much development into the state; he has tarred so many roads; he has completed so many projects while several others are ongoing and many more have been earmarked for construction. Look at the Secretariat Building, the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and many more, it is a joyful moment, and we want to sincerely thank, Hon. Tony Alile and the entire APC executives in Oredo Ward 11, for collapsing their structure to join our party.

“With the PDP, there is no opposition in Ward 11 anymore; what just happened here today is what we are trying to replicate in all wards in Oredo, so that at the end of the day, we will be able to deliver over 80 percent cast votes to Governor Godwin Obaseki.”