Riverine communities in Ologbo, Edo State, have pledged to give all their votes to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Godwin Obaseki and his running-mate, Hon. Philip Shaibu ahead of the September 10, 2016 election in the State.
Speaking at the APC campaign rally at Ologbo, Thursday, Prince Johnson Atsileghe said, ““Comrade Governor, sir, we strongly believe in your crusade for the Godwin Obaseki and Philip Shaibu joint ticket to retain our party, APC, in power of governance at Osadebe Avenue after your exit to take us to the next level in the political development of Edo Statee noted, “We have our eyes open as you are leaving behind an enviable legacy for Godwin Obaseki to build on for our own good. The legacy of building good roads, the legacy of well-constructed drainages to prevent erosion from destroying our roads, the legacy of redirecting storm water into river valleys to prevent erosion from devastating our homes, the legacy of red roofs for school buildings with up to date teaching materials and personnel, the legacy of ultra-modern hospital in the state, the legacy of regular payment of workers’ salaries as and when due.”
He declared, “We want to reassure you that our votes are in block for APC. As far as ward 9 and 10 are concerned, we are going to give you one hundred percent votes. To verify this, all top leaders of PDP in ward 10 are here to defect to APC.”
Receiving the defectors to the APC on behalf of the party, Governor Adams Oshiomhole said, “I want to thank you, my sisters and brothers who have come to join us this afternoon. Your action shows that you have reposed confidence in my stewardship. I am humbled. Somebody told me that among those who came to join us today, that one of them was the GOC for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was the one that was capable of ne that was capable of fighting us. Now, we are all in the same family. I want to promise you, your past is your past. What is in front is more than where we are coming from. We will fully integrate you into the APC family. That power you used for PDP, you will now use it for us, but what you suffered, you worked, no gain, in APC, may you have the gains.”
He continued, “Godwin, my love for him is that he has the qualities of a leader. A leader must be broad-minded. Godwin will sustain those traditions. Godwin knows that our State includes Itsekiris. It inludes Ijaw, it includes Benin, it includes Esan, it includes Kukuruku. So, when I say, vote for Godwin, I mean I ask you to vote for a man who will see you as himself. So, I assure you that with Godwin, you will even fall in love with him more than myself. So, he is going to work.”
Governor Oshiomhole said the dilapidated building in Ohen Primary School, Ologbo will be renovated, “This remaining block of classroom must wear red roof. Johnson, I invite you to my residence tomorrow night. We will finalize how to make sure that this school wears red roof. Secondly, you have mentioned Ajoki Secondary School. I hereby order the Post Primary Education Board, you should summon them to see me tomorrow (today) morning at 10.00 am. I will order that twelve teachers be posted immediately to that school. In order to ensure that those teachers don’t go there on Monday and return back on Friday, those teachers, if you know teachers of Itsekiri or Ijaw who are qualified to teach in secondary schools, bring them to me. We will employ them to work there.”
He further said, “The last one is security. To be honest, I felt the pains when I was told that some PDP thugs sank the boat carrying election materials, and in the process, innocent INEC officials and some police men died. I always say, the evil that any man does, it may be today, it may be tomorrow, but one day, God will repay you in your own coin. But our task this afternoon is not to lament those deaths because God will save their souls and punish those who killed them. But I have asked the Chief what it costs to buy those big boats, and he has told me the price. Right away, I can promise you before the end of this month, within the next twelve days, we will buy at least one of those boats. If resources permit, we will buy two. If it doesn’t permit, we will buy at least one, the big one so that we can secure this area. Even for the police and state security service, they need flying boats to police our waters.”
Also speaking, the governorship of the APC, Mr. Godwin Obaseki said, “Government must make sure we secure you here because without safety and security, investment cannot come here. My government will do for you all that you have requested including the speed boats to ensure that we secure this place so that we can attract investment and provide jobs for the youths.”
He said, “We also want to empower the women through cooperative society with micro-finance to boost their businesses. The youths will also be empowered. We want to create two hundred thousand jobs, and most of the jobs will come through modern agriculture and boost food production and sufficiency.” Finally he said, “To realize this dream, you must vote for APC. All of you should come out on September 10, and call everyone to vote for APC which has broom as its symbol.”
