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Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has declared the September 21 governorship election a “do-or-die” affair, warning that the poll must not be rigged.
Obaseki made the call as the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ilia Damagun, vowed that party members would defend their votes “with blood.”
Obaseki and Damagun spoke on Saturday during the grand finale of the PDP’s campaign for its governorship candidate in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo.
Twelve PDP governors and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, attended the event.
Speaking at the rally which was held at Garrick Memorial Secondary School in Benin, Obaseki described the election as an existential threat, stating, “This election is do or die. If they do, we will die.”
The Edo PDP had refused to sign the peace accord on Thursday, citing the “illegal arrest and detention” of its members as the reason.
Both the PDP and APC have been accusing each other of inciting violence and engaging in vote-buying ahead of the election.
Echoing the party’s stance, Damagun said the APC could only win Edo State through violence and intimidation, but the PDP would resist such attempts.
Damagun declared that the opposition would need to kill or arrest all PDP members to win the election.
The PDP chairman also warned the Independent National Electoral Commission against announcing election results at night, threatening that the party members would defend their votes with their blood.
He emphasised that the election would serve as a test for Nigeria’s democracy, urging people to pay close attention to the state.
Damagun stated, “You have to kill or arrest all of us if you want to take this state. You may have gangs, but we have God.
“To INEC, we don’t want midnight result announcements. It is not a threat, but we will defend our votes with our blood.
“We urge Nigerians to focus on the state, and we promise that the PDP will continue to provide good governance in Edo State.”
Damagun later presented what he referred to as “the flag of victory” to Ighodalo, the PDP’s governorship candidate.
Addressing the crowd, Ighodalo promised to take Edo to the next level, stating that Obaseki had already laid a solid foundation for the state.
He also pledged to run a transparent government with integrity, expressing confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s assurance that the election would be free and fair.
“My desire is to take the state to the next level as Governor Obaseki has already built a solid foundation for its development. My government will be transparent. I will also govern with integrity.
“I believe that the election will be free and fair, as promised by Governor Obaseki and President Tinubu. I urge the people to come out in large numbers to vote for the PDP next Saturday.”
In his speech, the Chairman of the PDP’s Board of Trustees, Adolphous Wabara, called on INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, not to announce the election result until he was certain of its accuracy.
Wabara urged Yakubu to correct the mistakes of the 2023 general elections and retire peacefully.
Abubakar, the PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, also called on the people of Edo to defend and protect their votes, asserting that the party would win the election.
PDP governors at the rally expressed their support for Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie.
Shettima, Akpabio, APC govs lead campaign for Okpebholo
Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and some All Progressives Congress governors and leaders also campaigned for the APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
Shettima urged the people of the state to vote for Okpebholo, emphasising that the state needed a strategic thinker, builder, and compassionate leader.
Speaking at the APC rally held at the University of Benin Indoor Sports Complex, Ugbowo Campus, Benin, Shettima expressed confidence in Okpebholo and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa, to deliver the dividends of democracy to Edo State.
He noted that intelligence was not determined by the size of the head but by the ability to solve people’s problems.
He urged Edo residents to turn out in large numbers to vote for the APC on September 21.
Akpabio, in his address, said Okpebholo and Idahosa would fulfil their electoral promises, adding that Edo needed leaders who could perform, not just those who ccoul speak “grammar.”
Akpabio expressed confidence in Okpebholo’s ability to deliver.
The APC National Chairman, Umar Ganduje, accused the Obaseki administration of fostering insecurity and unemployment, calling on Edo residents to vote for the APC for prosperity.
Ganduje assured voters that Okpebholo and Idahosa would bring security to the state.
A former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, who is currently representing Edo North Senatorial District, accused Obaseki of being insensitive to the plight of Edo people, stating that the governor’s eight-year tenure had achieved nothing significant.
Oshiomhole criticised Obaseki for failing to rebuild markets destroyed during his administration and for converting a state hospital and library into a museum and shopping mall, respectively.
Okpebholo promised to employ 5,000 teachers within his first 100 days in office if elected governor.
He also assured market women of soft loans to boost their businesses and pledged to build primary healthcare facilities across the 192 wards in the state.
Earlier, Ganduje welcomed former Senator Francis Alimikhena, representing Edo North Senatorial District, and former Oredo federal constituency representative, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, who defected from the PDP to the APC.
The new APC members pledged to work for the success of the party’s candidate.
PDP governors at the grand finale of the campaign included Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Pastor Eno Umo (Akwa Ibom), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Agbu Kefas (Taraba), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Duoye Diri (Bayelsa), Peter Mbah (Enugu), and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara).
APC governors present at the rally included Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), among others.
