Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has labelled the upcoming gubernatorial election as a “do-or-die affair.”
The election is scheduled for September 21. This off-cycle election will see major contenders including Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP).
Obaseki made this declaration during the PDP’s grand finale rally held in the Ekenwan area of Benin City, Edo’s capital. He sharply criticized his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole, accusing him of poor governance.
“The person I took over from had no respect for our people, had no respect for women, encouraged prostitution and women’s trafficking,” Obaseki stated. His comments aimed at highlighting his administration’s achievements compared to the previous regime.
Obaseki boasted of improvements since he assumed office. He noted, “When I took office, our pensioners wore black on Labour Day. But today, they wear white.”
He continued, “When I took office, our youths had no jobs. Today, don’t they have jobs? After eight years, is Edo not one of the safest in Nigeria?”
He stressed the gravity of the upcoming election, declaring, “This election is do-or-die; if they do, we will die. Next week Saturday, vote for the PDP to become the next governor.”
The tension surrounding the election has escalated with conflicting actions from the political parties. On Thursday, political parties, including the PDP, signed a peace accord aimed at ensuring a peaceful election. However, the PDP declined to sign the agreement.
Two days after the PDP’s refusal to sign the peace accord, Obaseki escalated the rhetoric, calling the election a “do-or-die” affair. He alleged that the police, who are supposed to uphold the peace accord, were biased towards the APC.
“There’s a serious issue when the entity expected to enforce the peace accord is now creating a destructive environment,” Obaseki claimed during a visit by Abdulsalami Abubakar, former military Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee.
Obaseki accused the police of detaining PDP members without adequate evidence. He said, “The police force has detained 10 PDP members, including an LGA chairman, without sufficient evidence or valid cases against them.”
He further criticized the APC, accusing them of using federal power to influence the outcome of the election. “The opposition party in the state, the APC, has always argued that they may not be as popular and didn’t win in the last election,” Obaseki said. “But they have promised to use federal power to determine the outcome of this election.”
He recalled the heated election of 2020 and expressed concerns about the current political climate. “Unlike 2020, I am very worried about the developments in the state today,” Obaseki said. “The party met yesterday, and we may not sign this agreement.”
In a contrasting move, the APC showcased its strength during the election campaign. On the day of the PDP rally, APC leaders, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and APC National Chairman Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, gathered in Edo for the grand finale of Senator Monday Okpebholo’s campaign.
