4,000 PDP Members Join ACN

At least 4,000 people have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Action Congress of Nigeria in Uromi and Irrua in Edo Central Senatorial district, Edo State.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who addressed the decampees including Chief John Obazele and Chief Lawrence Usman, said his only purpose in government is to change the fortunes of the state for the better.

According to the governor, never again will the state have a governor, who will say the state is too poor to construct roads, build schools and hospitals.

Comrade Oshiomhole pointed out that the present administration in the state has distinguished itself through developmental projects across the state.

He stated that ACN has come to change the “face” of politics in the state for the better, and urged the people of Esan land, particularly the youths, to resist those who oppress them.

He commended the decampees for taking the right decision to join the ACN, emphasising that they will be carried along in the scheme of things.

While assuring the residents of Uromi that in no distant time, scarcity of pipe-borne water will be a thing of the past, Comrade Oshiomhole promised that all on-going projects in the areas of roads, schools, health and water in Esan land, including Irrua and Uromi, will be completed.

Leaders of the decampees at Irrua, Chief John Obazele (Ward 9) and Chief Lawrence Usman (Ward 4), who spoke on behalf of the decampees at Uromi, said they decided to join ACN in appreciation of what the state governor has done for the people of Esan land.

They praised Comrade Oshiomhole for his developmental projects in Esan land, and called on well-meaning sons and daughters of the area to vote for the performing governor to enable him do more for them. At the palace of the Ogirrua of Irrua, HRH, Alhaji William Momodu, Comrade Oshiomhole, who was accompanied to the palace by his Deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu, thanked the royal father for his support and promised to work for the overall interest of all.

Responding, the royal father thanked the state governor for his developmental stride, and assured him of his support. Similarly, Comrade Oshiomhole visited the Odionwele of Ewoyi, Uromi, Prince Moses Utomi. Pa Utomi, the oldest man in Uromi, said to be over 100 years.

The governor was accompanied by some members of the State Executive Council and the ACN chieftains, including the state chairman of the party, Rt. Hon. Thomas Okosun, among others.

Meanwhile, Oshiomhole, has said that the forthcoming governorship election in the state is not a fight between him and the other candidates, but about the people of the state.

He stated this while playing host to two youth organisations – Edo Youths For Good Governance (EYFGG) and the National Union of Edo South Youths (NUESY), led by Iyamu Osaro and Osaghae Collins respectively.

The governor, while listing the achievements of his administration over three years in office, reiterated his resolve to improve the living standard of the people of the state.

Comrade Oshiomhole stressed that this resolve informed the rehabilitation of dilapidated schools to well equipped modern structures such that children now prefer to attend public schools instead of private schools.

He lambasted critics who see nothing good about his administration and who continue to accuse him of non-performance, even when it is obvious to the ordinary man on the street that he has been impacting positively on their lives, through the construction of durable roads; an ultramodern hospital; renovation and reconstruction of schools and beautification of city centres among others.

Oshiomhole was of the view that if previous administrations in the state in the 10 years before he assumed office had done half of what he has been able to do, the people would have been the better for it.

He commended his visitors for their steadfastness and having independence of mind on their assessment of the governance of the state, adding that this being an election year they should be careful and

avoid being deceived by some politicians who come up with different deceptive schemes meant to woo the people.

The governor averred that democracy is still the best form of government, as elected politicians are servants of the people who voted them into office contrary to what obtains under military rule.

He added that the people have the right to ask questions about how the government is handling policy issues.

Earlier, the youths had praised the governor for his people-oriented programmes, especially in the area of youth empowerment and infrastructure development.

They recalled that in the course of his electioneering campaign in 2007 Comrade Oshiomhole had promised to make things work in the state, adding that in less than four years in office he has shown that he is a man of his words.

They promised him that come Saturday, 14July , 2012, they would vote massively for him. They disclosed that they have started the process of mobilisation and sensitisation of the voters in the rural communities on the reasons they should cast their votes for him.

The youths stressed that soon they would mobilise over 5,000 youths to march on the streets of Benin, the state capital, in support of Comrade Oshiomhole’s second tenure bid.