Edo election: Come out and vote, Obaseki tells eligible voters

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has called on eligible voters in Urhonigbe, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state, to come out in large numbers and vote PDP in the Sept. 19, gubernatorial election.

Obaseki, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), gave the assurance while addressing a crowd of supporters in Urhonigbe ward 7 and ward 8 assuring that there would be no violence.

“Come and vote, don’t be afraid, there will be no violence, nobody will fight that day, come out and vote.

“I am assuring you as the chief security of the state there will be no violence in Edo for this election.

“The people who would have created violence are calmed; we all made a promise at the Oba of Benin’s palace, Oba Ewuare II, this morning, that there will be no violence during this election.

“So, don’t forget to vote PDP and stay back to defend your vote so that your votes will be counted, and after your vote would have been counted and I come back as governor, Urhonigbe community will be my priority.

“I understand that there is no institution of higher learning in this area; I know, but you must vote to ensure I’m reelected so that I can do all these things I made mention of.

“We have started rubber plantation in Urhonigbe, one year ago; we have to create jobs for our young ones. We have to create a new economy; we cannot keep relying on crude oil. The price of crude oil has gone down,’’ he said.

The governor recalled that in 1963, the late Obafemi Awolowo visited Urhonigbe to set up a rubber plantation but expressed displeasure that it was no longer operating.

“That is why I said we must come back to where we are coming from.”

“This election will determine if we will continue to do things that will move us forward or to allow all those people who put us where we are.

“I know your problems here, look at the gully erosion ravaging some part of this place, I saw it with my eyes and I have to do something about it,” he said.

Earlier, the Chairman of Edo PDP campaign Council, Mr Dan Orbirh, said that for all the places they had visited for campaign, the people wanted Gov. Obaseki to be reelected as their governor.

“For all the places we have visited, the people want Obaseki to come back. They said that God has won.

“Our visit is to come and thank you people and to appeal to you all that this election will be the one to determine the future of Edo people.

“Since the time of Awolowo no other governor has paid attention to agriculture like our governor.

“He has started doing something in rubber plantation, he is doing something in palm oil production, and we must encourage him by voting massively for him so that he can continue the good work.

“For all of you here, don’t entertain any fear, one with God is majority. What we have is our God and the majority of our people.

“Please, take this message to all the units in ward 7 and ward 8; for those preaching violence, I want to tell them that we are committed to peace.

“In peace we are going to be mindful of anybody trying to take our victory, we will defend our votes,” he said.