Oladipo Airenakho
Edo State All Progressives Congress gubernatorial aspirant, Dr. Godwin Obaseki has advised politicians and supporters to eschew violence and always see election as a contest of ideas and issues rather than war.
Dr. Obaseki gave the advice at his campaign headquarters in Benin City last weekend while playing host to music legend, Mr. Innocent Idibia, also known as Tuface.
Idibia, who was recently conferred with an honorary Master of Arts in music degree by the Igbinedion University Okada, Edo State, was at the Obaseki campaign office with his national message of peace and non-violent election.
Obaseki’s advice was a reaction to recent political violence in the state, including the incident that greeted his own campaign at Sobe in Owan West Local Government Area.
While he thanked the music legend for his innovative thought, Obaseki said his (Idibia) coming to the campaign office was for him, a validation of what his campaign team had been preaching.
He said the conduct of the campaign, known as Team-GO has been on the part of issues and idealistic messaging of its plans for Edo people.
“Your coming today is a validation of what we have been preaching. I am particularly excited about this initiative of yours. As you may have read in the news, I was almost a victim of electoral violence few days ago.
“Because we went Campaigning and the people we went to see had some quarrel among themselves and before we knew what was happening there was a gunshot and we had no choice than to abandon the visit and went away.”
Dr. Obaseki also referred to the alleged violent attack on the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu in Auchi about two Weeks ago, somewhere in Auchi, adding: “with all these put together, you could not have come in more auspicious time than now.”
He stated he was attempting politics for the first time. “For me personally this is my first time entering into politics, it is my first election. So, violence is very strange to us.”
“For me election is not war, it is a contest, a contest of ideas and a contest of issues. It can only be an argument between two or more opinion bloc of one saying I want to do for my people this, and the other say I can do better.
“So, it is about trying to convince our people to accept a superior idea. That is what an election is supposed to be about and not about war and fighting”.
“The whole idea why we are in politics is to expand the space, to show younger generation, that different type of people, who are from the Corporate World can come and play politics, that politics is not about ruffian, corruption but, an honourable thing to do which is about service,” Obaseki noted.
Earlier in his remark, Mr. Idibia said he was at the campaign office with members of his foundation to advance the message of non-violent election.
According to him, it is a message his foundation has been preaching over the last two years across the country, saying the theme of the project by the foundation is “Vote not Fight, Election no be War.”
He pleaded with the political class in Edo State to eschew violence and embrace peace for the betterment of all.
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