By Ik Osamede
One reason why Edo people are respected the world over is our independence of thought. We hate godfatherism and backwardness and that's why we drove APC to their cocoons in the 2020 elections and elected Governor Godwin Obaseki for a second term in office to continue his developmental strides.
In turn, Governor Obaseki has not relented for a moment in delivering good governance. Edo is experiencing a series of unprecedented reforms and under his leadership Edo is paying the highest minimum wage in the country, powering public facilities with 24 hours power, Edo has the best education arrangements with EdoBEST and is home to two petroleum refineries, with many other achievements too numerous to mention.
Voting all Edo PDP House of Assembly candidates in the forthcoming March 11, 2023 House of Assembly elections is a vote for continued infrastructural development, prompt payment of salaries of workers, continued sanity in public affairs, and pro-people reforms enshrined by Governor Godwin Obaseki. Voting all PDP candidates will be a final burial of retrogressive forces and undue interferences in the political landscape of Edo people.
The achievements of Governor Godwin Obaseki was possible through the harmonious relationship between the legislative and the executive arms of government in the past 6 years. We must continue in this developmental trajectory and not waver.
In the March 11 elections, the severed head of the APC may wish to have a comeback, but we must finish what we started in 2020 and ensure that APC does not get any place in the House. Our people must reject the APC and the sufferings their party have put Nigerians in.
Today, APC has midwifed fuel scarcity, inflation of goods and services especially food, and now the scarcity of naira notes – the same monies that Nigerians have painstakingly laboured for cannot be accessed by them. APC must not be allowed into Edo State House of Assembly because they will foist the same anti-people agenda on the good people of Edo State.
The need for a united legislative house cannot be overemphasized and the core duties of the House which includes oversight functions, drafting and sponsoring of bills, and quality representation of our peoples must not be left in the hands of APC.
The last 24/24 given to Governor Obaseki is needed even more now. We must eschew distractions and come together to vote PDP candidates irrespective of party affiliations – whether Labour or NNPP – and by so doing reject APC and their unwholesome agenda in the March 11, 2023 elections.
This is very necessary as Governor Obaseki politically is upright and ensures that the will of the people triumphs.
That is why he ensured that no election in Edo is rigged. That can also be seen in last Saturday's election. We know what other states did. Yes, the election was far from perfect but we know for a fact that Governor Godwin Obaseki cannot be found wanting in any of the irregularities of that process. That is Governor Godwin Obaseki's principle.
Nonetheless, while we seek the redress we desire, we must not lose sight of the antics of the APC and how they may take advantage of the seeming 'drudgery' to gain access to the House of Assembly. In March 11, we must work together and not at cross purposes to ensure the moral rectitude of Governor Obaseki is rewarded and tell APC again that EDO NO BE LAGOS.
