The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum and governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, on Saturday, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) to conduct free, fair and credible elections devoid of rigging in Edo come September 19.
Tambuwal made the call during the official launch of the PDP governorship campaign by the party’s National campaign Council led by Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike in Benin.
He said, “I want to call on the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, to take cue from the elections conducted by the former INEC Chairman, Prof. Atahiru Jega, where the doctrine of one man, one vote was adhered to strictly in all elections.
“Do not allow anybody to use you to achieve their political aim and ambition,” he said.
Tambuwal also called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to fail in delivering free and fair electoral process to Nigerians and the people of Edo.
“Let that be your legacy to Nigerians. Edo is a strategic and important state in the history of Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, “no one man can come to Edo and claim superiority over others, we will ensure that those who want to rig this election do not succeed.
“We gave Governor Godwin Obaseki some lessons on how to demobilise godfathers because we knew that a day like this will come.
“I urge you all to continue to hold on to God Almighty because God never fails. That was what we did in Sokoto and we won the state,” he said.
The governors of Bayelsa and Oyo, Douye Diri and Seyi Makinde, urged Edo people to come out to vote for Obaseki and defend their votes.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, who was also present during the rally said, “we identify with quality and good governance which Obaseki represents.”
According to the governor, Edo and the Benin empire are known for greatness. Politics is war for freedom.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State urged the electorate to not only come out and vote, but to defend their votes.
Wike, who is the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Edo 2020 Governorship election campaign organisation, spoke at the flag-off of the party’s campaign at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.
He urged the electorate to throw their weight behind Governor Godwin Obaseki, who he said had put an end to godfatherism in the state.
The Rivers governor said that if Obaseki wanted to be selfish, he would be dancing to the tune of one person to the detriment of the good of the people.
He said that Obaseki had done well and it was only wise to re-elect him to complete the ongoing infrastructural development of the state.
Wike urged the electorate not to entertain any fears but to ensure they came out to exercise their franchise on September 19.
He gave assurance that the campaign organisation would do all it could to ensure that the state was retained by the PDP.
Earlier, PDP national chairman, Mr Uche Secondus, who described Edo as the heartbeat of the nation, noted that the state determined the political barometer for other states.
He said Edo economy would remain stable and vibrant under PDP government, as Obaseki would continue his economic revival and sustainability.
“We want to continue to enhance what he has started”, Secondus said.
Similarly, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State said he was happy the South-South zone remained the only region where all the governors belonged the same party, the PDP.
He said in view of this, come 2023, presidency would return to the PDP through the South-South.
Okowa said that even without fighting a battle, PDP had returned to Osadebey Avenue after 12 years.
He said that Obaseki had done remarkably well in spite of the huge financial deficit he met on ground.
The Delta Governor, therefore, called on the electorate, especially party faithful, to come out and vote as well as defend their votes on September 19.
