Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, his Deputy Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu and members of the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council led by the Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, have been hosted to a victory dinner in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State to celebrate the party’s victory in Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Edo.
Obaseki who attributed the party’s victory to God and the determination of the Edo people to make their votes count, said he decided to embark on a thank you visit to governors and people of the South-South states to express his appreciation for their support and prayers which led to his success at the poll.
“Our victory is from God and our success in the election shows God alone has the ultimate power. Saturday’s election became a national election because Edo people had to test and re-examine Nigeria’s democracy, thank God President Muhammadu Buhari stood up to the task and did the right thing,” he noted.
According to the governor, the entire South-South region is celebrating because the people had their way and they were allowed to decide who will lead them in the next four years.
“Thank God the election reflected the will of the people, if not, the state and region would have been in grave danger. As a nation, we should learn to take our destiny and future in our hands and never allow one man or few groups of people decide it for us as we have what it takes to be great,” he added.
The governor who earlier visited the Governor of Delta State, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, assured that the victory is a call on the region to deepen its unity and fast-track the development of the area, expressing delight that the existing unity in the region played out in the Edo poll, leading to victory for the PDP.
He pointed out that it is important in the post-COVID era to use the limited resources in the region to advance the cause of the people in the South-South Region.
“We now have a politically united region which must also be united economically, working for the prosperity of all,” Obaseki emphasised.
Congratulating Obaseki on his victory, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, said the victory is for Edo people, and compared the election to a presidential election as all eyes were on the state.
He commended the courage of the Governor and his Deputy to fight a good fight and finally silenced godfathers, adding, “It takes commitment, loyalty and determination to demystify those that styled themselves as God, not knowing that no man is God.
“We are happy in the region as we all belong to one party now. I hope our leaders will protect this victory and ensure that no state in the South-South region will be lost to another party as we eye other regions”.
He urged people in the region to embrace politics, as failure to do so will allow the bad and reckless people to hijack it and lead the people recklessly.