The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has advised the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, to forget the past and demonstrate the spirit of democracy by bringing everyone on board in the development of the state.
Secondus gave the advice on Monday at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, when Obaseki paid a thank-you visit to the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
He advised Obaseki to work with the three arms of government, especially those who offended him in the course of the election.
“My advise for you is that election is over, the expectations are very high. You must now show the experience you came with from the private sector.
“In the political world, it is your ability to lead everyone together especially in this your last tenure.
“It is important to make sure that there are three arms of government – the executive which you head, even though you are the overall boss, make sure that the legislative arm, those who have offended you, who ran helter skelter, bring them back, they are your children.
“You are the father of Edo, bring them on board and work with all of them because that will be your legacy.
“It is not money or anything else but your ability to bring everybody on board to work with you and I am quite sure that Edo people are ready even those from the other party, who are willing to come, let them come,” Secondus said.
He said that Obaseki’s victory was a confirmation of what God could do when men arrogate His power to themselves, urging him to continue with his humility and fear of God.
“Today, Nigeria needs leaders like Obaseki and his deputy that are humble, who can listen and care for their followers.”
Secondus commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman and his team for ensuring a credible election in Edo.
He also urged the commission to continue discharging its duty without fear or favour, saying Edo election shows that if INEC, security men will do the right thing, the people will rejoice.
“If the security will also protect the people of Ondo without taken side, the joy of the people will be full just like in Edo.”
While appreciating President Muhammadu Buhari for allowing credible election in Edo, Secondus urged him to continue with what he did in Edo in making sure that Ondo election is also free and fair.
He also appreciated the PDP governors forum, especially Gov. Nysome Wike of Rivers, and his South-South colleagues for the role they played in Obaseki’s victory.
“We thank the Oba of Benin and people of the state and PDP leaders in Edo state who made sure that the will of the people prevailed,” Secondus said.
On his part, Obaseki said he was at the party secretariat to appreciate the party leadership on the role they played in his re-election.
This, according to Obaseki, started from the period of his acceptance to the party, when he was rejected from the All Progressives Congress (APC), the campaign period and the election proper.
Obaseki said that his appreciation will be best expressed by been faithful loyal party members.
“Working with your advise and strategy, we undertook a ward to ward campaign and I thank God that we did because it was only then that we realised the spread of PDP in Edo state.
“Every hamlet, every community we went to, there were vestiges of PDP in which we could build in something.
As if that was not enough, the election itself, the preparations and what transpired on the Sept. 19, the ability to mobilize the governors and for the first time in my political career, I felt I was in a political family.
“All of you are witnesses to what happened, the backing, the support, the doggedness which was displayed by our great party on the 19th of September.
“It is all history now, but it is important that we do not forget what transpired.
“Our gratitude will be better expressed by staying loyal, hardworking and by rebuilding and making sure that as long as God permits, PDP will remain the party in control in Edo state and the whole of the south south.”
Speaking to newsmen later, Obaseki pledged that the people of Edo state should be expecting more dividends of democracy from him within the next few months.
Asked of the fate of the Edo elected-lawmakers, who were yet to be inaugurated, Obaseki said the matter was beyond his power as the case was already in court. (NAN)
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