Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki says he is ready to sacrifice governance for politics as campaigns for the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidates, especially its presidential standard-bearer, Atiku Abubakar, gathers momentum across the country.
Obaseki, who addressed newly inaugurated Edo State members of the party’s campaign council in Benin City, said he will wholeheartedly support the PDP to return to power at the federal level so as to rescue the citizenry from the prevailing challenges.
The governor noted that Edo State was the home of PDP with a database of 530,000 members while every other party is an “appendage.”
According to him, “This election is hand to hand combat. We have done it before. During my election, was there a ward we didn’t go to in this state? Was that not the first time we did a ward to ward campaign? We are going to repeat it again.”
“By the grace of God, victory is ours and what you have done before; I am asking you, please, do it again. You have rescued this country one time, let us do it again. Let us not give up hope. Nobody is going to fix Nigeria for us, it is we; politicians of PDP extraction, that God has given the responsibility to help, rescue and move Nigeria forward.
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“So, I congratulate you, thank you and I want to assure you that I am here to support this campaign to the fullest. For me, the governance process will take a back seat from today. Politics will now take the front seat,” Obaseki stated.
He said: Every time I have the privilege to talk with Atiku Abubakar, the incoming president, he always refers me back to what happened in 1999. He said don’t forget when we took over in 1999, Nigeria was as divided as it is today, the military has been there for a long time and the democratic culture has seized. He said the same tools we used then to make sure we bring Nigeria back together; we will deploy it this time.
“The economy of Nigeria was in shambles in 1999. Oil production and prices had collapsed. He and Obasanjo came in. He was in charge of the economy and all the things that kept Nigeria going, the debt relief we got, and all the investments they had to make. How they fought in Odi to send a lesson that nobody can vandalise pipelines or nobody can hold this country to ransom. All the things they did at that time; today, the same man is coming and he is giving another opportunity to help us salvage our country.
“So, who are we when they call on us to come out to rescue this country? You were here in the beginning and some of you had to leave because of some circumstances but you are all back home. PDP is one, whether in 1999 or in 2022, it is the same culture and tradition. This is the home of PDP.
“Edo is not in contention. So, what we now need to do is to make sure that we use this campaign office as a base, hub for Atiku/Okowa election. This office will support the national campaign. There is a situation room from which we will connect other situation rooms across the country.
Earlier, Tony Aziegbemi, the Edo State chairman of the party, urged the 503 inaugurated members of the campaign council to do their work diligently and ensure the party emerges victorious in the different positions for the elections.
Umar Bature, PDP national organising secretary, on his part, said the party in Edo State is one.
