By Alltimepost.com
Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole received over three thousand Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defectors , led by President Goodluck Jonathan’s Campaign Security Chief in Edo State, Mr. Fred Ikhuebor into the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benin City on Sunday.
Other former PDP stalwarts who decamped with their teeming supporters to APC at a rally held in Benin City, included, Chief Sunny Erhengbo, Dr. Friday Omokaro, former PDP House of Representative Aspirant for Ikpoba Okha/Egor Federal Constituency, Dr. John Ogbomo and Mr. Lucky Akalede.
The Governor used the opportunity, offered by the event to condemn the Independent National Electoral Commission’s postponement of this year’s General elections by six weeks, saying that the May 29 hand-over date of the PDP-led Federal Government to the APC cannot be postponed.
“You heard what happened. They said they have postponed the elections. Few days back, they called us for a meeting at the Council of States and we said they should go ahead and do the election.
In any event, we are not the only country with security challenges. Even election is held in Afghanistan and Iraq,” he remarked.
Oshiomhole however called for calm among members of his party and supporters in the face of the provocation occasioned by the postponement of the election and urged them to shun violence in the interest of peace.
“So whether they postpone the election or not, we won’t fight. They can’t postpone Christmas. Everybody has seen they don’t want elections.
They sponsored discussions on Television, Jega said INEC is not the issue so they came up with security.”
He acknowledged that the six weeks postponement will cost more resources and time because “we thought we will do the election, get through with it and get on with our lives but they decided to postpone the election, to prolong it but let me ask you, a child that is due to arrive after nine months, how long can you prevent it from birthing?”
Comrade Oshiomhole was sure that All Progressives Congress would definitely secure victory any time the elections were conducted, saying that his party will use the remaining six weeks to mobilize more, pull out more people from the PDP so that Edo State will be 100% for APC.
“APC is already in power by the grace of God. They can postpone the election but they cannot postpone May 29 handover date.”
The Governor expressed joy at and praised the courage of the defectors for dumping the Peoples Democratic Party to pitch their tents with APC which, according to him was set to bring the much desired change and development to the country.
He assured them of level playing field in APC and promised collaboration in an effort to build “a new digital political soft structure on top of which we can build all the other things.”
Among those who spoke at the event was Mr. Ikhuebor, also known as “ceiling fan,” who until his defection was head of security of the Goodluck to Goodluck Campaign Organization in Edo state.
He said: the “All Progressive Congress (APC) is the only party in Nigeria practicing what is obtained in advanced countries.”
“The Peoples Democratic Party is a party of liars. There is no truth in them. We will join forces with you sir to deliver Edo State for APC in the Presidential elections and all the other elections,” he promised.
He apologized to the Governor for his ignoble role in the Edo State House of Assembly saga of 2014 and the activities within the court premises during the election tribunal sittings in Benin City in 2012.
His words: “I now know the truth and I have decided to come back home, join the APC and play genuine politics.”
He pledged on behalf of his supporters their unalloyed loyalty to the Comrade Governor and the APC hierarchy in the state.
