Former Deputy Minority Whip of the House of Representatives and one-time Governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State, Hon Emma Arigbe-Osula, yesterday led thousands of his supporters to the All Progressives Congress .
Also, a factional President of the Edo State Drivers Welfare Association, Comrade Adams Ehigiamusoe (Shaba) led his supporters to dump the PDP for the APC.
Speaking at the decamping ceremony, Hon. Arigbe-Osula said “the fact that I am coming out today to openly say I am joining the APC is a mere formality because your superior position in the upliftment of this state more than any one has done in recent history has earned you the total support of all Edo people.
“We can say today that you have done a true transformation in the real sense of it, not just transformation in words. Edo State was left totally shattered after 8 years of PDP maladministration, in fact, you are a miracle worker.
“In 2012, I came out to say that Edo State must re-elect you and we did. Now I am coming out to say having elected the President in which you have a hand, indeed it was your project and I want to say thank you for bringing development to our state. I know you are a great fighter, victorious in many fights but I never knew you have the ability to raise the dead because Edo State was almost totally dead before you took over the state.”
Hon. Arigbe-Osula said, “the infrastructural facilities put in place is second to none in the region, you have prospered our state.”
He urged Edo people to come out en masse on Saturday April 11, to elect all APC candidates for the State House of Assembly maintaining that he has come fully to join the APC and to fully support the Comrade Governor in his bold policies to move Edo forward as change is sweeping across the entire country.
In the same vein, the factional President, Edo State Drivers Welfare Association, Comrade Adams Ehigiamusoe said “I and my association and the entire youths in particular have decided to join you to move Edo State from this level to another level. With the crowd you are seeing today, let me assure you that election into the State House of Assembly in Edo South is ‘carry go’.”
Continuing he said, “Let me assure you that the machineries we used on the other side (PDP) are still fully intact and we are ready as you formally receive us to put them into full action for the desired victory come Saturday April 11, 2015 in the state.”
While welcoming the defectors on behalf of the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari; the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and the State APC Chairman, Barr. Anselm Ojezua, Governor Oshiomhole said, “let me welcome all of you particularly my brother Hon. Emma Arigbe-Osula and authentic Comrade Sunny Oviawe aka Akubisi, Chairman of Chairmen, Okada East Ward, Ovia North East for this reunion into the APC family.
“This is a familiar territory and you are all seasoned politicians so I am really excited to be able to work openly with these two young men who have come to join us and I assure you we will work closely as we have done with all others.”
He said, “APC has been trying to maintain the culture of openness, one of assimilation and politics of inclusion rather than exclusion and helping to generate a new political leadership for our great state. I thank God that He is using us to bring about this very fundamental change in the politics of our state and I am sure that our people will be the better for it.
“What the victory of General Buhari has shown is that never say it is impossible when it is time for change because, as they say, when the righteous rule the people rejoice but when the wicked rule the people suffer and when the people are suffering and they call on God, He answers them in ways that they themselves cannot predict.
“In the last election, I saw a very interesting development. In some families, everybody say things are rough, people are protesting they don’t have light and are being asked to pay fixed charges without light. But when it is time to change the driver, they say no he is our brother. When your brother puts you in the dark and keeps extorting money from you, you change him.”
He said, “Buhari’s victory is a new dawn for Nigeria and as you can see, the naira is already appreciating just by the fact that people now have more confidence in our country, the world again is celebrating Nigeria.”
Governor Oshiomhole also assured the youths that with General Buhari on board, the problem of unemployment will be a thing of the past stressing that Edo State Government will restrategise to absorb unemployed youths into the State Youth Empowerment Programme and called on the members of Edo State Drivers’ Welfare Association and its entire executive to vote for the APC candidates in the House of Assembly elections.