The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Monday asked the former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to give account of his eighth years as Edo state governor, instead of taking the stage in campaigning for the party’s governorship candidate
Speaking at a press briefing in Benin City, Chris Nehikhare, Edo State PDP publicity secretary of urged Edo people not to consider him as a serious person because he can’t be trusted.
This is just as he advised electorate not to be afraid of thugs purportedly mobilised by their opponents to attack Edo people before and during the September 19 governorship election in Edo state.He further assured that the state government and the security agencies will do all it can to nip in the bud ,plots by some group of persons hell-bent on disrupting the election.
“PDP as a political party is very interested in the peace and security of Edo state. We discourage, reject and condemn the mobilisation of thugs to settle political squabbles or be used in campaign.
“This is a government that is compassionate and ready to serve Edo people for another four more years. You also know that the PDP has always condemned intimidation, thuggery and violence, and the governor has come to join the party whereby all these things match up with his philosophy.
“I think as a political party, Oshiomhole right now should not be campaigning but explaining what he did with Edo state money.
“For eight years, he took over N42bn as security vote and nothing to show for it. Edo people are wiser and we want the people not to be intimidated and scared but whenever they are threatened, they should say that in September 19 our voters card will speak for us, and we will vote PDP.
“We also notice yesterday that the former chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole while apologising to Edo people,
knelt down for forgiveness. We are not amused and we find it ridiculous that a man who stood on a podium four years ago to condemn his candidate for today. “But the same man is telling us he made a mistake four years ago. Edo people should ask, can this man be trusted?”While noting that the Obaseki-led administration is working diligently to clean up the mess of his predecessor, he called on Edo people to stand up, come out en masse to vote for the PDP.
Reacting, Victor Oshioke, spokesperson to Adams Oshiomhole,said “,It takes courage for a man to accept that he had made a mistake and apologized. He is a man, who takes responsibility for his actions, apologised and asked to be forgiven.
“The problem with Obaseki is that he can not take responsibility for his failures, and that is why he keeps failing. We campaigned for Obaseki for the purpose of continuity but since his assumption of office we saw that he came to destroy not to continue where Oshiomhole stopped.
“So, we want somebody else who will continue from where Oshiomhole stopped because Obaseki has nothing to show for the four years he has been here. Oshiomhole’s apology should be accepted because there is nothing on ground to justify Obaseki being trusted for re-election.
“Oshiomhole didn’t take N42bn as security vote. Whatever Oshiomhole took for security vote can not be compared to the present day. During Oshiomhole’s tenure, crime rates dropped in Edo state. But today the crime rate is on the rise. So, it is not comparable. Let Obaseki disclose the amount he has taken in four years and compare it with Oshiomhole’s first tenure. Then we can have a comparative analysis as to which one was worthwhile.” He said
