BENIN-CITY/Nigeria: The Chairman of the APC Interim Management Committee and Governor of Yobe state, Mallam Mai Bala Buni on Saturday announced that the party will retake Edo state in the September 19, 2020 Edo governorship elections.
Addressing party leaders and supporters at the University of Benin Sports Centre, venue for the Flag off of the party’s campaign in the state, he said the rally was simply to announce that the APC will retake the state but it will be without violence.
“We are here to take back our mandate and take back our state. Four years ago, you voted APC. Don’t be violent, victory is ours. We are here to win not to fight. We must ensure every vote counts”.
Buni presented the party flag to the candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu and said that the President and National Leader of the party, Muhammad Buhari had on on Friday formally endorsed the candidate by presenting him with the same flag.
The Chairman of the APC national campaign council and Governor of Kano state, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje who had earlier led the PDP bug wigs to visit the Benin Monarch congratulated the state campaign council of the party for its unit to unit, hamlet to hamlet and village to village campaigns.
He congratulated the people of the state for the inauguration of the Edo state Assembly with the 17 majority members election of a Speaker, 13-months after they were supposed to be inaugurated by the outgoing governor.
“I congratulate you on the election of new officers of Edo State Assembly. We were astonished and surprised that for 13 months, 14 members elect were not sworn in and three joined the 17and are now more than three quarters of the Assembly “.
The Edo APC governorship candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu who appreciated the Governors of Kaduna, Jigawa, Ogun, Ondo, Kebbi, Niger as well as Lagos and Kogi, who were represented by their deputies, Members of the National Assembly and Ministers for their support said APC will win the September election in all of the 18 LGAs in the state.
He said “In this election, we will not only win but win the 18 LGAs. Never again will we have a governor that is an ingrate, or a governor who will not develop our state or empower our youths”.
He sang to the admiration of the mammoth crowd of party supporters from across the state, who defied the scorching sun to welcome him, the APC chieftains and especially former Governor of the state and immediate past National chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
Meanwhile Special Adviser to Edo State government Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Isagie said President Muhammadu Buhari and the Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday shunned the official flag-off of campaign by Osagie Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 19 election in Edo State.
Special Adviser to Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, expressed thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari for not attending the event that took place in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
According to Osagie: “Once again, President Muhammadu Buhari reaffirmed his commitment to his administration’s fight against corruption by staying away from the public unveiling of the corruption-scarred gubernatorial candidate of the APC.
“Knowing the collateral damage such a gesture would have caused the anti-corruption war and its promoters, home and abroad, the President decided to stay away. The vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and several APC governors that were expected at the event, were also absent.
“APC leaders such as Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-olu, Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, were also not at the Sports Complex of the University of Benin, venue of the campaign flag-off.
“They departed Benin City immediately after a short visit to the palace of the Benin Monarch, Omo N’ Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II,” Osagie said
However the Edo State chapter of the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the weekend called on the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to leave Edo State alone and concentrate on his “epileptic presidential ambition”.
Dan Orbih, the South-South zonal chairman and Edo State PDP governorship campaign council chairman, made the call at a press briefing at the party’s campaign secretariat in Benin City
Orbih reacted to a statement credited to the former governor of Lagos State, where he reportedly said that the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, committed impeachable offence for not swearing in 14 members-elect of the state since June 17, 2019.
Meanwhile, the deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, raised the alarm that some PDP members’ names have been given to thugs for assassination, saying the security agents have been duly informed about it.
Shaibu said it became imperative to notify the citizens of the state and the entire world of what the state is going through at the moment.
