•Governor-elect, Monday Okpebholo
Edo State governor-elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and his deputy, Hon. Denis Idahosa today, Thursday, September 26, received their certificates of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The certificates were presented to them by the national commissioner in charge of Edo State, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, who represented the chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, reports The Nation.
They were accompanied to the INEC headquarters by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, National Secretary, Senator Bashiru Ajibola, Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, Senator Adams Oshiomhole and the Deputy Governor of Edo state, Phillip Shuaibu, Senator Matthew Uroghide, General Cecil Esekhaigbe (retd), Senator Francis Alimikhena, Hon. Ogbeide Ihama, Hon. Omosede Igbinedion, Blessing Agbonmhere among others.
Speaking with newsmen after receiving his certificate of return, Senator Okpebhlo dedicated his victory to the people of Edo state, saying by voting for him, they have sent him on an assignment, adding that he was ready to deliver on the mandate freely given to him by the people of the state.
APC national chairman and former Kano State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje expressed appreciation to the people of Edo State for returning the APC to the state, adding that the incoming governor has a blueprint to develop the state.
He said: “Edo State was an APC state. Later on, the governor as a nomadic politician, cross-carpeted to PDP, but today, we fought for it and we have recovered our state for the APC. I am so happy because essentially, our governor-elect and experienced politician, a distinguished senator who has a blueprint for the development of Edo State and we assure you, you will see great changes”.
Former Edo State governor and Senator representing Edo North, Senator Adams Oshiomhole said the people are excited because they now have a governor who will not be fighting with the traditional institution over artefacts, or demolishing a hospital only to replace it with a museum.
Oshiomhole said: “For us, it is a new dawn. When a lion moves into your home and starts destroying your things, the power of democracy is that because the process is tenured, when it is time, the ordinary people will now have the potency to make a verdict about the tenure of Gov. Obaseki and the verdict is now.
“It is not my personal feelings that matters now because that should be obvious. But one thing that I am happy about is that the Edo people now have a new governor who will not disrespect them as a people. We now have a governor who will not send pregnant women to prison, to deliver and die in prison over N20,000 mobile court fines.
“We now have a governor who understands that for the child of a casava farmer to rise to become a Senator or an Engineer or a Doctor, he must employ teachers in all the science subjects and build schools that will appeal to the young minds.
“We now have a governor who, without a MoU, will go and build that road that has been in bad shape across the state, clean the drainages ahead of the rainy season. In Edo State, we now a governor will respect the traditional institution that is the head of our culture. We now have a governor who will not be fighting over artefacts, but will rather be fighting for what is good for the Edo people.
“We now have a governor who will not demolish a hospital and replace it with a museum. We now have a governor who understands the value of education and will not destroy libraries and replace them with a market.
“For me, this is what excites Edo people and once they are happy, having had the rare privilege to superintend over that state, I am happy that they have reclaimed their state from the Lions that claiming to be iron which has now been melted with the combined force of Edo North, Edo Central, and Edo south.”
In his remarks, Ganduje stated: “When you’re working to reclaim your state, enduring sleepless nights and navigating through tough terrain, the effort is worth it. Edo was originally an APC state, but the former governor switched allegiances like a nomadic politician. We fought hard and have now successfully regained control of the state. We are especially thrilled because the governor-elect is a seasoned politician and distinguished senator with a solid plan for Edo’s development. We assure you that significant positive changes are on the way.”
