FORMER deputy speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Levis Aigbogun, has asked voters to use their permanent voter cards to reject the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a party because it symbolizes poverty, hardship and declining standard of living.
He was speaking at a rally by the PDP candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu at Uhen in Ovia North East local government area to appreciate the 13 youths from Egbeta community now referred to as Ovia 13, who were recently detained on assorted charges by the state government.
He said from all indications so far, the APC government at both the federal and state levels have scored very poor marks in implementing their change agenda which promised 24-hour electricity supply, reduced pump price of fuel, and free food for school children.
“If a government wins an election, it has a duty to bring about positive changes in the standard
of living of the people but in the last one year of the APC government in Nigeria, Nigerians have suffered untold hardships like never before”, Aigbogun said.
He told eligible voters in the communities to turn out early on election day to be accredited to cast their votes for the PDP and to resist the temptation to go to the farms or markets first as the elections would be over when they return.
In his speech, Ize-Iyamu who empathized with the Ovia 13, expressed regrets that whereas most of them were members of the APC, the state government callously faked their detentions over spurious allegations that would not stand in any court of law.
“These youths were sent to jail not because they stole or committed any crimes. They were sent
to jail because they were fighting for justice, truth and development of their communities but were charged by the APC government unduly,” he said.
He assured the people of Uhen that the electricity project which was initiated by Omosede Igbinedion, the PDP member representing Ovia at the National Assembly would be a priority for his government if they joined other people to give him their mandate. On the plea of Saw mill- ers in the adjourning communities that they were not breaking even with the huge multiple taxes being demanded of them by the state government, the PDP candidate assured them
of a review that will be in their interest.
Oshiomhole, Obaseki take campaign to heart of Benin City
RESIDENTS of Second East Circular in Benin City trooped out in their large numbers, yesterday, to declare support for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Godwin Obaseki who joined Governor Adams Oshiomhole on a road walk on the new dual-carriage road.
A resident, Mr Yusuf Ab- dulrazak, who spoke on be- half of others, said: “we don’t encounter flooding here again. My car used to break down along this road, and I was always going to the mechanic workshop for repairs which made me spend a lot of money. Now, I don’t spend money on such repairs any- more. You must finish this work that you have started. Last week, we organised a rally at this junction here, and we danced and jubilated.
“We are all for Godwin Obaseki; his government will be a continuation of the government of Oshio Baba which gave us this beautiful road, ” he said
Governor Oshiomhole told the residents that: “this is the first time we will be having this kind of road. You have a road, you have a walk- way, and you have drain underneath. It has never happened in this city before. We are going to put street lights.”
The governor continued: “We have been listening to our opponents who are telling lies everywhere. They are saying that the Comrade and his deputy are fighting. How can we fight? We are not boxers. We are working as brothers and will continue to work as brothers. And you people must help to explain to the ordinary people that the high cost of living is not within the control of the state government. The state government has no hand in the price of foodstuff in the market. But the state government must build schools, pay teachers, must provide hospitals, must construct roads, and must provide drainage. If you watch television, you would see the kind of flooding that is taking place every- where, but Benin is not like what it used to be like that, but because of the drainages we have done. So, you have to explain to the people.”
Also speaking, the APC candidate, Mr Godwin Obaseki said: “You have seen that Comrade Governor has really worked. We have constructed roads and built schools. What is left is job creation. I will bring indus- tries. Before I can bring industries, you need to vote for
me to become governor first. You have to mobilise and go from street to street, telling everybody to come out with their PVC on the day of election to vote.”
Don’t be intimidated, group urges voters
AS Edo voters brace up for the September 28 governorship election, a charge has gone to them to come out in large numbers to vote and not be intimidated by the antics of some faceless troublemakers planning to unleash mayhem on the voters.
A pressure group, known as Edo Democratic Front (EDF), gave the charge in Benin City yesterday, urging the voters to ignore the drumbeats of war by such mischief makers whom the group labelled as “mere faceless and spineless blacklegs”.
In a press release signed by its scribe, Mr. Tijani Osahon, the EDF urged the voters to focus squarely on the election and ensure its success by coming out enmasse on the election date to exercise their franchise without any let or hindrance.
The group reminded the voters that it is their fundamental human rights to fully participate at every election to freely elect those they wish to govern them. It pointed out that insinuations and rumours of violence on election day were meant to scare voters from the voting centres.
In expression of their fundamental human rights as it relates to voting, the EDF posited that such rights were duly enshrined in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended, and even in the Article 21 of the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Quoting copiously from Article 21 section three, of the UDHR, the group pointed out.