….Says Edo People Need Continuity In Governance
LAGOS – Two days to the Saturday September 21 governorship election in Edo State, a cleric, Apostle Alfred Odion Uyinosa, Host of ‘Heal Our Land Oh Lord’, has said that only Barrister Asue Ighodalo administration will bring meaningful development in the state.
Speaking with select journalists in Lagos on Thursday, he also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to ensure that the election would be peaceful and violent-free.
The cleric told Edo people not to be afraid of any ‘federal might’, but should come out to exercise their franchise, stressing that neither President Bola Tinubu nor the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, would come from Abuja to vote on Saturday.
Apostle Uyinosa, who was heading to Benin City to be part of the election, urged Edo people to turn out en masse on Saturday to vote for Ighodalo so that he can continue the good works Governor Godwin Obaseki has started.
The cleric who stressed the need for continuity in the state administration, stressing that they should not be afraid to come out to vote as security agents will do their work according to the rule without intimidating the people.
Uyinosa stated: “What Edo people need now is one who will continue the good works of Governor Godwin Obaseki. Only Ighodalo has the capacity to do that.
“Obaseki rebuilt the foundation of Edo State. Under him, the state has scored first in several areas.
“Obaseki was the first to increase the state’s minimum wage from N30,000 to N40,000 and then to N70,000, when most state governments are yet to take decision on the issue.”
Advertisement
He recalled that due to Obaseki’s Primary Health Care policy, the Edo people have been enjoying the best of care, while the governor had initiated reforms in the areas of education and the civil service.
He stressed that Edo people can only continue to enjoy all these facilities if they enthrone Ighodalo as Obaseki’s successor during Saturday’s governorship election.
Apostle Uyinosa urged the Edo people to file out to cast their votes in a peaceful manner and shun violence, stressing that election should not be a war.
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to ensure that the election would be free, fair and credible.
The cleric stressed: “We urge all concerned citizens in Edo State, the INEC, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), political parties and other stakeholders to exercise their respective constitutional role in promoting peaceful and credible election.
“Even in the midst of all challenges, we have seen a measure of issue-based campaigns towards Saturday’s election. No matter how we look at it, elections in Nigeria seem to be war, which is not supposed to be so.
“This has put the burden on us to control and manage the process by ensuring that it is free, fair and credible free of chaos.
“Every Edolite, irrespective of party affiliation, ethnicity, religion and other differences must develop the spirit of sportsmanship by ensuring that Saturday’s election would be peaceful.
“INEC must live up to expectations by conducting credible, fair and transparent governorship election in Edo State.
“INEC’s performance in Edo will mitigate the controversies surrounding past elections. INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, must work round the clock to ensure that the election ends well.”
