The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday presented Certificate of Return to Gov. Godwin Obaseki, as its flag bearer for the Sept.19 Edo gubernatorial poll.
The PDP National Chairman, Mr Uche Secondus, who presented the certificate to Obaseki, commended the party electoral committee for holding a peaceful and successful primary in Edo.
Secondus pledged that PDP would continue to do more with its primaries and congresses to give confidence to the people and for them to have confidence in themselves that they could participate in PDP which he described as “all inclusive.”
“This is a party of justice, this is a party of equity and this is a party of fairness. The power belongs to the people. It is not us, it is you and, so the power belongs to you.
“Today we have taken an important step to ensure that Edo people believe in us. They believe in us and they will vote for PDP.
“So from Edo, we will move to Ondo and gradually to all part of the country,” Secondus said.
Obaseki, speaking after receiving the party’s certificate of return, commended the party and its leadership for accommodating his team under the party’s umbrella during their hours of storm in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said that it was when he and his Deputy, Philip Shaibu entered PDP they realised that the party represented the values they had been pursuing.
“It was only when we entered the house that we then realised that this is the house we should have been in the first instance, because we now saw that the values in the house are the values we cherished and live for.
“The values of justice, values of law and order, values of care for our people, putting the people first, these are the values we have always been in pursuit of, which we found in this new house in which we have been graciously accommodated,” Obaseki said.
Obaseki said that his team had no doubt that the PDP was going to be victorious in Sept.19 election, adding that he could see the hand of God in all happening.
He gave assurance that he and his deputy would be committed to the party’s idea and vision for the people.
“What all these occurrences in the last forthright tell me is that it is hand of God that orders things.
“I want to commit to you that in line with the ideal and motto of this party, I and my deputy, by the grace of God, is going to be my running mate, for the Sept. 19 election, because you do not change a winning team.
“I want to commit to you that we shall promote the ideas of this great party and you can always count on us. Whenever the National Working Committee calls on us, we will be there.
We have no choice because from what I have seen from my brothers, governors in this party, what they have done and what they did for us in the party revived my political career, I have never seen that level of commitment,” Obaseki said.
Earlier, presenting the report of the PDP Edo Primary Election Committee to the party leadership, Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, who was also chairman of Election Committee, described the primary as free, fair and successful.
Mohammed said though other three contestants stepped down for Obaseki before the primary, the committee went ahead to conduct the primary in line with the party’s regulations to validate the process of the nomination.
He said that after the election there were 72 invalid votes and Obaseki scored 1,952 with the total votes cast being 2024, saying “everything went in line with the accredited voters and we have the results here with us.”
He said that for the first time, PDP had a rancor free election in Edo where there was no mistrust, no suspicion and no in fight.
“I am happy to report that all the governors that we went there really works tirelessly to make sure that all our differences and challenges were resolved.
“We observed that at the end of the day we are ready and Edo is ready for captured, to be won by this very important party, the PDP.
“I am confidently sure that Edo is going to fall in line within the realm of good governance of the PDP and I hereby submit the report with all the details and attachments,” Mohammed said. (NAN)
