Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has urged voters to cast their ballots for the PDP Candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Noting that Ize-Iyamu will emerge as the next Edo governor after the polls, he added that the battle will not be an easy one.
Vanguard reports that Wike, who spoke at a PDP stakeholders’ forum asked all PDP members and leaders to be united, committed and resolute in seeking victory. “PDP is on ground in Edo therefore do not be intimidated. We have come to give you the moral support so that you will emerge victorious but you must be united and work as a team because this is your last opportunity,” he said.
Describing the election as the battle to liberate Edo, he said: “Freedom is not easy to get. When you want to get freedom, you must make sacrifice. The election in Edo means making sacrifice and require commitment. You will be intimidated therefore prepare yourselves.”
He also told the stakeholders to be wise in their relationship with security operatives and ensure that the right thing is done at every polling unit to prevent the ruling party from manipulating the process.
Also speaking, Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyichukwu Okowa said that for too long Edo, which is a twin brother of Delta, has been in pains for the last eight years. Therefore, he urged PDP leaders and stakeholders at all levels to join hands to redress the the problem with victory for the PDP at the polls.
He said Edo people need to turn out en masse on Election Day to elect a PDP governor in Pastor Ize-Iyamu because in the South-South geopolitical zone, Edo has been left out of the family and needs to urgently come back to the fold. His words: “Edo and Delta are brothers and we are waiting patiently to ensure that we control the two states and those of us in the South-South are waiting patiently because we want to have a unified family… I believe you all know that in the last eight years it has been pains in Edo and if you want the pains to stop, you must fight not just for yourself but also for the people. To win that fight you must mobilize the people to vote, defend the votes and defend the results fromt the unit level, to the ward and local and even at the state level.”
National Chairman of the PDP caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, warned against any attempt to frustrate the will of Edo people by disrupting the polls. He said a service of songs would be held for the APC after the elections because the PDP would win. Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin said he was at the PDP stakeholders’ meeting with a message of goodwill to Edo people that on Sunday they will a have a brand new PDP governor and prayed that God will punish anyone or group that will take it upon itself to disrupt the polls in any guise or manner that will affect the will of Edo people.
Edo State chairman of the Party, Chief Dan Orbih, who welcomed all the national leaders of the party to Benin City assured them that all the stakeholders have worked hard and are resolved to deliver victory for the party on Saturday.
Earlier, the PDP governorship candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu yesterday declared that he was contesting Saturday’s election basically to win and be sworn into office as the next Edo state governor.
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