Why Edo people voted for Oshiomhole – Palace chief

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN 18/07/2012 00:33:00

A member of the Benin Traditional Council (BTC) has explained why residents of Edo State voted over-whelmingly for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) against the Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP) in last Saturday’s governorship election. According to the Eson of Benin Kingdom, Chief Amos Osunbor, the people of Edo State felt that the PDP did not perform in its over eight years in power. Osunbor said the voting pattern and results of the election showed the peo-ple’s anger against “those who regarded themselves as the godfathers and fixers of politics in the state.” He said: “The results of the recently conducted election in Edo State spe-cifically sent a message to Chief Tony Anenih from Edo people that they are fed up with him. It also clearly told him that he should re-locate either by moving to another party or quitting politics entirely. The gov-ernorship election of July 14th clearly showed that the stronghold of Chief Tony Anenih, which is Edo Central Senatorial District, was won by the ACN, leav-ing the PDP without any local council.” The chief added that what the Edo people unam-biguously demonstrated was a lesson that the peo-ple of all the other states should take into consider-ation. He said: “It is the first election that the police, soldiers and other security agents carried out their assigned duties without interfering with the elec-tion. ACN won in all the 18 local government areas because Edo people wanted a change.
The people were fed up with PDP and they got the change they desired when Oshiomhole came. And with the job he has done for the past four years, they vowed not to disrupt his avowed intention to transform the state.”
Osunbor noted that the Bini agenda that was intro-duced to Edo politics failed woefully because “We told the people that we don’t believe in tribal politics, but on a candidate who will develop Edo State.
We will support whoever de-velops our state. We have had Bini man in charge of affairs of the state and he did nothing.”
He, however, advised the PDP candidate, Ma-Gen. Charles Airhavbere, to be courageous to accept the result and embrace the winner.
The chief also praised voters for rejecting mon-etary inducement against their conscience.
Meanwhile, the Con-gress of Progressive Change (CPC) has con-gratulated Oshiomhole for his victory at the poll.
In a statement by the CPC National Public-ity Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, the party said it was satisfied with Osh-iomhole’s victory.
The statement reads: “The CPC has noted with satisfaction the victory of Adams Oshiomhole at the just concluded governor-ship election in Edo state.
“The party hereby con-gratulates the governor for successfully warding off the electoral tantrums and rigging stratagems of the PDP and its leader-ship.
  “Indeed, the landslide victory aptly captures the satisfaction of the Edo people with the merito-rious service of the last four years and affirms the people’s confidence in his leadership.
“Undoubtedly, this re-election comes with additional responsibility for greater commitment to service.