Edo Poll: Don’t Elect Obaseki, Tinubu Tells Voters

…Claims Gov Doesn’t Deserve A 2nd Term

Voters in Edo State were on Tuesday, advised to reject Governor Godwin Obaseki, who is seeking re-election for a second term on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, gave the advice in a sponsored broadcast on TVC.

Tinubu said Obaseki did not deserve the votes of the Edo people.

He said: “Obaseki does not deserve any democratic ballot paper. Don’t vote for him, I appeal to all of you.”

The former Lagos State governor claimed that he and many others struggled and suffered to return Nigeria to democratic governance.

The APC chieftain added: “I, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, want to appeal as a committed democrat, and the leader of all democrats regardless of our political parties, to our conscience and commitment to democracy today on the forthcoming election in Edo state.

“I want to appeal to you to reject Godwin Obaseki in this coming election. I have suffered with many others to bring about this democratic regime, that today, we are enjoying in the country.

“Then, Godwin Obaseki didn’t participate in any aspect of the struggle to enshrine democracy in the country.

“Therefore, he could not understand the value and the pains associated with this democratic struggle.”

But responding to Tinubu, Obaseki faulted the allegations made by the APC leader.

The governor’s media aide, Crusoe Osagie said in a statement titled ‘You can’t extend your political empire to our state – Edo govt tells Tinubu’.

According to him, Tinubu cannot extend his political empire to Edo State, saying that people of the state were determined to end godfatherism in the state.

He said: “Our attention has been drawn to a television broadcast in which a former Lagos State Governor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his quest to extend his political dominance and empire to Edo State, decided to take over the role of Edo people to choose through the ballot who to govern them for the next four years.

“It has become obvious that the spirited fight which Edo people have put up against godfatherism has sent tremors beyond the shores of Edo to the likes of Tinubu, who has for years sustained a stranglehold on Lagos and other states in South-Western Nigeria, hence this desperate, last-ditch effort to rescue the unproductive political instrument, now popularly referred to as godfatherism, with which he has feathered his nest and built his political empire at the expense of the people.

“Tinubu knows clearly that come September 19, when godfatherism would have been dismantled in Edo State, the people of Lagos may just have found the recipe and formula for removing the chokehold placed on their collective destinies for decades by Tinubu, hence the inciting television broadcast.”

The PDP on its part, asked Tinubu to leave Obaseki alone and face the woes of the APC.

The party, in a statement issued by its Spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, argued that Tinubu had lost democratic credentials.

The Edo governorship election comes up on September 19th.

It is a straight battle between Obaseki, who many believe may coast to victory, and Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the APC, who others say can cause an upset.

Like Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu is seeking the position of governor for the second time. He had contested the position in 2016 on the platform of the PDP.

There are speculations that the federal might may work in his favour.

It has always been the desire of the APC to re-capture Edo state.