Ahead Edo gov election...

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Ahead Edo gov election...

Written by Sylvester Idowu, Uchechukwu Olisah, with Agency reports Thursday, 12 July 2012

Military pensioners declare support for Oshiomhole
MEMBERS of the National Association of Military Pensioners (NAMP), on Wednesday, threw their support for the second term bid of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

The pensioners, in a statement in Warri, Delta State, by its South-South wing, said only Oshiom-hole could provide solution to the multifarious problems confronting the state at this point in time.

While urging the people of Edo State to vote massively for Oshiomhole in the governorship election on Saturday, the body said such development would allow the governor to sustain his developmental strides in the state.

The statement, which was signed by the South/South president, Eroma-furu Benson; national treasurer, Joseph Aluya and Edo State chairman, Moses Agbonavware, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has failed the country, adding that “it will only be foolish for any right thinking person to cast his or her vote for the PDP on Saturday.”

“Edo State has witnessed massive development in such a short period of time under Oshiomhole and we are sure that leaders of PDP are living witnesses of this assertion. Hence, military retirees in Edo State have vowed to remain behind the indefatigable Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who has suddenly made our people to taste the dividends of democracy and good governance. Nobody changes a winning team,” the statement read.

The association, which lauded Jonathan for his promise of a free and fair election on Saturday, however, vowed to resist any attempt to truncate the wishes of the people of the state in the election.

Wada rallies Ebiras, Igallas in Edo for Airhiavbere
AHEAD of the Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State, Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State, on Sunday, reinforced the campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship standard-bearer, Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (retd), by calling on Ebira and Igalla communities in Edo State to vote for the candidate of the PDP.

Addressing a crowd of Ebiras and Igallas in Edo North, Wada urged his people to support Airhiav-bere and vote out Governor Adams Oshiomhole who, he said, was a master of “rhetoric.”

Governor Wada told the crowd that the PDP was the only party that could change their lives for the better, in line with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking earlier, the speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Honourable Abdullahi Bello, had urged the people not to be intimidated in their decision to vote for the PDP.

In his remarks, Chief Tony Anenih thanked Wada and other state officials for taking time off their schedule to address Kogi indigenes in Edo State.

He assured the people and the governor that the signals he was getting from the field were indicative of a resounding victory for the PDP in the governorship polls.

Oshiomhole incapable of certain responsibilities —Anenih •Joins Igbinedion, Imoke, others to campaign for Airhiavbere
THREE days to the Edo State governorship election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Wednesday, intensified its campaign with a grand rally held at Okada, the headquarters of Ovia North East Local Government Area of the state, to woo more supporters for the party’s governorship standard-bearer, Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (retd).

Present at the rally were the former chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih; Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, vice chairman of PDP, South-South, Dr Steve Oru and the Cross River State governor, Senator Liyel Imoke.

Also at the rally were former chief whip of the Senate, Senator Rowland Owie; the state publicity secretary of the PDP, Mr Matthew Urhoghide; Professor Mercy Obamogie and Pascal Ogbemhe, among others.

While speaking, Anenih knocked Governor Adams Oshiomhole, whom he described as “incapable of carrying certain responsibilities.”

According to him, “it’s equally true that when you have children, there are the ones you give certain responsibilities. There are children who cannot carry out certain responsibilities; then you give them less responsibilities. Unfortunately, Oshiomhole is one of those who cannot carry responsibilities.”

He also debunked the rumour doing the round that Airhiavbere called students of Ambrose Ali University (AAU) robbers during one of the governorship debates held recently, adding that Airhiavbere had only insisted that the institution lacked the pre-requisite facilities needed to compete with other institutions across the country.

Addressing the crowd, Igbinedion, who described the rally as “important and crucial,” thanked the supporters for their commitments and support for the PDP.

Earlier, Chief Dan Orbih, the state chairman of the party, had told the people that Governor Oshiomhole was desperate and was making all kinds of accusations no matter how frivolous, stating that it was a sign that the governor had lost it, both in providing good governance and in taking the issues at the coming election.

Airhiavbere, in his address, promised the supporters that he would not disappoint them, adding that the overwhelming support he had received from Okada and the state indigenes in general could not be paid with ungratefulness.

It’s a race between performance and non-performance —ACN chieftain
A chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Edo State, Dr Odaro Ize-Omoregie, on Wednesday, said the race for the state governorship seat is between a performing Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which 10 year-administration in the state was a nightmare.

Dr Ize-Omoregie, who spoke with journalists in Benin City, the state capital, said by choosing to follow performance, the people of Edo State had spoken in one voice that never again would Edo be labelled a backward state, as they had found in Oshiomhole a man capable of consolidating on the gains of the past three and a half years.

According to him, “the 10 years of PDP rule have been a nightmare to the Edo people, as all areas of government activities were visibly absent in the state. The last three and a half years of ACN have seen tremendous development.”

Besides Ize-Omoregie accused the PDP of playing ethnic politics, saying “Edo people have gone beyond that.”

Ex-JTF commander warns against rigging
FORMER commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Niger Delta, Major-General Charles Omoregie (retd), has warned against electoral fraud and violence in the July 14 election.

Omoregie, who is now chairman, Edo State Neighbourhood Watch Committee, in a statement on Wednesday, said “in view of the July 14 governorship election in Edo State, the group wishes to advise members of the political parties to refrain from acts and activities that could jeopardise the smooth conduct of the election.

“This advise has become imperative because of the strategic importance to our nascent democracy,” adding that anyone caught perpetrating violence during and after the election would be made to face the wrath of the law.

Clark warns security agencies against rigging
IJAW national leader, Chief Edwin Clark, on Wednesday, warned security agents, including the military, not to allow themselves to be used for rigging or intimidating electorate during the gubernatorial election in Edo State on Saturday.

He also appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a free, fair and credible election in Edo State on Saturday, to justify the confidence reposed in it by Nigerians.

Chief Clark, in a statement issued in Warri, said his concern on the Edo State election stemmed from the fact that he was an elder statesman, leader of the South-South region and an advocate of an egalitarian society where peace, equity and justice prevailed.

Chief Clark recalled that when President Goodluck Jonathan visited Benin City recently, to campaign for the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he said vehemently that the election would be credible, free and fair.

“So let the people cast their votes according to their conscience, having regards to the performance of the current governor or the promises of the other candidates. Therefore, nobody, no matter his status, should rig the Edo State election in the name of president,” he said.

Clark, therefore, warned the security agencies to ensure free and fair election devoid of killings and violence, because no Nigerian blood was worth shedding for any political office.

Youth group declares for Oshiomhole
A group, Youth Initiative for Empowerment and Transparency in Leadership (Yiet Nigeria), has endorsed Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for re-election as governor of Edo State.

In a communiqué issued at the official unveiling of the group in Abuja, its chairman, Ambassador Fanny Amun, said following its fact-finding mission to Edo State and coupled with the performance of the candidates at the live debate aired on television, Yiet-Nigeria resolved to endorse the candidature of the comrade governor and his deputy, Dr Pius Odubu, “as the most preferred candidates for the governorship elections on July 14.”

The group, however, appealed to candidates in the election to ensure strict compliance with the electoral laws, in the interest of peace before, during and after the elction.

It expressed confidence that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by Professor Attahiru Jega, would deliver an election that would be fair and transparent, by giving hope to the electorate.

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