*Asks supports to resist violence
By Myke Uzendu
The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has aasured that his primary commitment with the people as expressed in his manifesto is to ‘Make Edo Great Again’ (MEGA).
Obaseki stated that he was prepared along with his deputy, to put their lives on the line to ensure that the people of Edo state continue to enjoy accelerated development, especially in the areas of electricity, agriculture and youth empowerment.
Obaseki made the disclosures on Saturday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, during the flag-off of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship campaign in the state.
Addressing the party’s supporters who were restricted in numbers in accordance with the COVID-19 social distancing protocols spelt out by INEC and NCDC, the governor said he was going to reinvent governance through the deployment of technology, and ensure that the interests of the people are protected at all times.
He said, “I want to assure you that in the coming days, we are going to unveil our programme, and our programme is titled: Make Edo Great Again (MEGA).
“Our message is one of hope and one for the future. In Edo, we are one people, we have one dream and we have one purpose.
“The programme which we have adopted will focus on how to improve governance, how do we use government to support our people, how do we use government to create an enabling business environment so that you can do your business unharassed by any set of people particularly thugs. How can we use government to transform your lives? The government belongs to you not to a few people.
“So in the next four years we are going to be reworking government. We are going to be introducing a lot of technology. We are going to make sure that the programmes we have stared particularly agriculture, youth empowerment, we are going to insist that we continue on that path. Edo will be a business and economic hub for this country. We will be because we believe that God has given us everything to become the greatest state in this country”.
On his efforts to ensure stable power in the state, Obaseki continued, “For all of you, am sure you are seeing what we are doing with electricity. We invested in Azura 450mega watts, that power was put into the grid and we are in darkness in Edo state. I have to look for another set of investors, we invested into another 60mega watts plant which we are going to increase to 200 and by next month by the grace of God, that line would have been completed, we shall have electricity in this city, at least in the public places so that we can get you to work”.
Gov. Obaseki urged his supporters to resist violence despite all provocations. He said that the All Progressives Congress are already unleashing violence on citizens saying that it is a foretaste of what the PDP will experience on the election day.
“We understand that the opposition party has now resorted to violence, please we do not want blood shed. One of their billionaires hired a lot of thugs today around the Obas palace and I hear they are busy destroying cars with PDP flag. Do not retaliate, God will retaliate for us. What they are trying to do is to scare the people, they said that what they are doing today is a sample of what they will do in September 19 but thank God we have a law abiding president, a president that believes in the rule of law and will make sure that we conduct the election in a peaceful manner.
“We left them because of their lawlessness. We will not, no matter how provoked resort to the same lawlessness. I want to thank you and assure you that God has given us the victory” he said.
There were good will messages from Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers state who is also the Chairman of Edo state National Campaign Council, Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State other PDP governors as well as members of the party’s National Working Committee.
