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Obaseki, Shaibu hosted to victory dinner in Yenagoa

By Julius Osahon
28 September 2020   |   4:16 am
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu and members of the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council, led by the Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih...

Godwin Obaseki and Philip Shaibu. Photo: Facebook/PhilipShaibuEDSG

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu and members of the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council, led by the Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, have been hosted to a victory dinner in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State, to celebrate the party’s victory in Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Edo.

Obaseki, who attributed the party’s victory to God and the determination of Edo people to make their votes count, said he decided to embark on a ‘thank-you’ visit to governors and people of the South-South states to express his appreciation for their support and prayers, which led to his success at the poll.

According to him, “Our victory is from God and our success in the election shows God alone has the ultimate power. Saturday’s election became a national election because Edo people had to test and re-examine Nigeria’s democracy. Thank God President Muhammadu Buhari stood up to the task and did the right thing.”

According to the governor, the entire South-South region is celebrating because the people had their way and they were allowed to decide who would lead them in the next four years.

“Thank God the election reflected the will of the people,” he said. “If not, the state and region would have been in grave danger. As a nation, we should learn to take our destiny and future in our hands and never allow one man or a group of people decide it for us, as we have what it takes to be great.”

Obaseki, who earlier visited the Governor of Delta State, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, assured that the victory is a call on the region to deepen its unity and fast-track the development of the area. He expressed delight that the existing unity in the region played out in the Edo poll, leading to victory for PDP. He pointed out that it was important in the post-COVID era to use the limited resources in the region to advance the cause of the people in the South-South region.

“We now have a politically united region which must also be united economically, working for the prosperity of all,” Obaseki emphasised.

While congratulating Obaseki on his victory, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, said the victory is for Edo people, and compared the election to a presidential election as all eyes were on the state. He commended Obaseki’s courage and his deputy for a good fight that finally silenced godfathers, adding, “It takes commitment, loyalty and determination to demystify those that styled themselves, as God, not knowing that no man is God.

“We are happy in the region as we all belong to one party now. I hope our leaders will protect this victory and ensure that no state in the South-South region will be lost to another party as we eye other regions.”

He urged people in the region to embrace politics, as failure to do so would allow bad and reckless people to hijack it and lead the people into under-development.

In a related development, the Edo State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated Governor Obaseki and his deputy, Shaibu, on their victory in the September 19 gubernatorial election in the state.

State Chairman of APC in Edo State, Anselm Ojezua, who signed the congratulatory message issued in Benin City, said: “We join President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Caretaker Committee of our great party to congratulate Governor Godwin Obaseki and his Deputy Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu on their victory at the just-concluded governorship election in Edo State.

“The election has been generally acclaimed to be peaceful, orderly and transparent. The people of Edo State have made their choice in a very clear and unambiguous manner.”

Ojezua, however, explained that “Our loss at the poll stems from the needless and avoidable crisis foisted on the party by a selfish, insensitive, arrogant and irresponsible leadership. While we begin to take steps to try and salvage the wellbeing of our party in the state, we call on the governor to be magnanimous in victory while we urge all the contestants to sheathe their swords and put the election behind them.

“We must all close ranks with the government in order to ensure a seamless transition to the final lap of governance for the benefit of our people rather than subject them to further needless distraction and rancor.

“The establishment of a robust infrastructural base to guarantee economic growth at this critical time must be the paramount consideration in the best interest of the good people of Edo State.”

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