•Says his support for Esan governorship agenda based on need for unity

•We’ll complete all projects in Esanland — Ighodalo

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Friday revealed that his declaration of state burial for the late Chief Tony Anenih, a top chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a highly revered elder statesman, during his first term as an All Progressives Congress (APC) governor, was the unforgivable sin he committed against Adams Oshiomhole and for which the former governor has refused to forgive him.

Obaseki stated this at Friday’s PDP campaign rally held at Opujie Primary School, Uromi, Esan Northeast Local Government Area where Chief Anenih came from.

He said: “When Chief Anenih died, I was not in PDP, but I declared a state burial for him because of his contributions to our dear state and Nigeria. This was one of the things that created issues between me and Oshiomole who never wanted it. He considered it an unforgivable sin which he could not overlook. But I have to do what is good. We are all one. Edo State is one.

“And that is why I am here today. For Edo to be one and united, I have to support Esan man for governor. And not just Esan man but a capable, competent, intellectually sound with good track record in the person of Asue Ighodalo.”

Continuing, the governor said: “The candidate the APC brought was a Benin man and that the APC never believed in an Esan governorship agenda or an Esan man becoming governor until it dawned on them, so they hurriedly packaged one through the back door.”

He declared that the need to move Edo forward requires a candidate like Asue Ighodalo.

“The PDP candidate is more experienced and competent to take Edo to the next level and so I urge you all to come out en-masse and vote on the 21 and elect him as the next governor by voting for the PDP,” he said.

In his address, Ighodalo thanked the people, saying: “Uromi is a great place with great people. It is the pride of Esanland.”

He promised to complete all ongoing projects in Esanland I will complete all on and create more. “We will complete all ongoing projects in Esan Northeast and across all Esanland. Be it water, roads, hospitals, schools or anything, we will complete them and create new ones.

“Edo will be self-sufficient under my administration and become a state other states will come to. With us Edo will not suffer poverty.

“Let us support the good work to continue. Obaseki has done well, and we will build on the foundation,” he declared.

Earlier in his welcome speech, the LGA Chairman, Dr Inedegbor Kelly, thanked the governor for promising Esan people the governorship and fulfilling it. He said the governor not only fulfilled the promise he gave Esan credible and competent candidates in the persons of Asue Ighodalo and Osarodion Ogie.

He asserted that PDP is Esan Northeast and Esan Northeast is PDP, assuring the governor of victory in the local government.

A former council chairman, Hon. John Yakubu, also affairmed the submission of the local government boss while reechoeing that PDP will produce more than 75% vote in Uromi.

Senator Clifford Ordia, the DG of the Asue Ogie Campaign Council, Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, the state party chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, all urged the people to come out en masse and vote the PDP with the umbrella as symbol Prince Joe Okojie, while eulogizing the governor in sweet Esan melodious songs, told the people that Obaseki promised him at the beginning of his first tenure that he will handle over Edo to Esan son as governor. And those seven years plus, Obaseki has done it.

He said the APC people know that they have lost the election hence they are doing everything to see they intimidate the PDP people using police, which they have also to fail.

He then sent a strong warning to one of Uromi sons, who is a member of the police force, but parading as a politician and APC is using him. “I advise him to resign and be a proper policeman or resign so we know where he stands,” he said.

He said Uromi people cannot be intimidated and that on that day they all come out and vote massively for PDP and vote the umbrella

Prominent APC leaders led by Alhaji Musa Isiwele, then led hundreds of defectors to join the PDP saying that they can’t support incompetence.

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