Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State says Nigerians must reject the PDP at all levels in next year’s general election, saying for as long as the PDP remains in power, Nigerians will remain in darkness.
Speaking yesterday when he received about 2,000 defectors from Oredo and Egor Local Government Areas of the state led by Mr. Festus Osaretin Oviawe and Igbe Kingsleyrespectively, Oshiomhole said the choice before the people in the next election is very clear, a choice between darkness and change.
According to him, “in 16 years, Edo has gained nothing from the PDP besides the resurfacing of the Ofosu-Benin road and the attempt at the dualisation of the Okene-Benin road, with all its imperfections, which they were forced to embark on after we cried out that how could they dualise the road from Abuja and stop abruptly in Okene without extending it to Edo.
“In 16 years,after spending over $25 billion, yet we have no light. Now they have shared the electricity company to their friends and associates. For as long as they remain in power, Nigerians will remain in darkness. Our companies will remain shut and the economy will be subjected to the vagaries instability of the international oil market.”
Accusing President Goodluck Jonathan of abandoning Edo, Oshiomhole said: “he got 95% votes from Edo. What has he done in Edo, what has he done in Benin City? The Queen Edo erosion was caused by the Federal Government and I have written several letters to them to come and fix their mess, yet they ignored us and gave money to Delta, to Kogi.
“See the newly refurbished airport in Benin, I was there and the roof was leaking during the rain. Is that the kind of government we still want in Nigeria, no way.
“For too long across Nigeria, PDP has buffeted us with untruth, lies, deceit, empty promises, both at the political level and economic front and every day they have run short of lies and they have run short of excuses.
“It is not possible for a he-goat to live long to become a sheep, it can’t become a ram, a he-goat will always be a he-goat. PDP can never change and I think you all will also agree that they themselves are aware that they need to change but the more they try to change, the more they remain the same.
“You know before my election in 2012, I remember they were shouting, ‘this is new PDP and I was saying what is new? The head is the same old PDP and it has become even older now, almost approaching a hundred. So the head has not changed and so the body couldn’t have changed but they know they have nothing to change.
“We will sweep PDP away from Abuja and the way we are repairing Edo, the way APC is repairing Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Imo, Ogun, Rivers and other APC states is the way we will repair Nigeria.”
Speaking to the decampees, Oshiomhole said “with you joining us, we are having a renewed encouragement and a renewed determination to even do more for the people.”
Leader of the decampees from Oredo Local Government Area and two-time aspirant to the Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Festus Oviawe said, “We are leaving PDP because of the injustice done to us and we have decided to join APC in the state”.
He said, “Let me thank the governor on behalf of my supporters for creating the enabling political space in the state for participatory democracy to strive. APC is not a party like our former party where if you don’t have someone behind you, you don’t have a businessman as a leader of the party to stand behind you to influence the election, even when you have your own personal money to do so, without having anybody behind you as your leader, you are not going to be nominated in any election at all.
“Unlike APC, we have seen you through the media where you went to Iyamoh and queued up to vote for the person of your choice whereas in PDP it was not so”.
Mr. Oviawe saluted the courage of the Comrade Governor in piloting the affairs of the state and the political maturity exhibited in spite of the provocation by opposition PDP Leaders in the state and promised to work with the Governor and APC to deliver Edo State in the next general election.
