President Bola Tinubu on Thursday called on Edo State governor-elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo, to prioritise the development of his state while assuring him of the full support of both the Federal Government and the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF).
The President gave the advice at the State House in Abuja at a meeting with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress party, where the Edo governor-elect and the deputy governor-elect, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, presented their certificates of return.
President Tinubu emphasised the importance of good governance and delivering results to the people of Edo State.
His words: ‘’Governor-elect, you can now face the task of development. We are here to work with you. You have seen the progressive governors of APC. They are truly progressive. Work with them. Learn the ropes, and I believe you are up to the task.”
While acknowledging the challenges of democracy, particularly in emerging economies like Nigeria, the President said, ”You have earned the victory. Democracy is difficult, particularly in emerging democracies and economies like ours.
”If you hear complaints from places like America, you know how difficult it is to navigate democracy. But it remains the best form of government. ”
President Tinubu congratulated Senator Okpebholo and his deputy and described them as a ”good symbol of people ordained by God to work together”.
”You started as rivals and ended up as partners. You are a symbol of good understanding in politics; the man at our party’s helm has been through it before.
”In Kano, he was a front runner, became a second runner, and became a deputy before he eventually became a governor,” he said.
The President acknowledged the role played by former Edo state governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, the progressive governors and the APC leadership in the successful outcome of the gubernatorial election in Edo.
According to him: ”I saw Adams Oshiomhole radiating in joy… sincerely the governors showed up in Edo, they impressed me. They defended the party. They worked hard for the party.”
President Tinubu also commended INEC and the security agencies for ensuring a peaceful and organised election, with no reports of violence or disturbances.
He said: ”I must thank the security agencies. There was no bloodshed, no riot, people voted and went back to their houses in peace, and the fears dissipated instantly.”
The President urged the party leadership and membership to remain united and focused on achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda.
”Never mind the noise makers. I do a lot of statistical sampling and results. When you hear politicians saying ‘all politics is local’, you must respect that notion.
”When you see the stability in the Edo North senatorial district, we see a man that won the Central senatorial district and a candidate who has won a seat in the south senatorial district; we did a match- which turned out to be a winning match,” he said.
President Tinubu also commented on the heavy downpour on Election Day in Edo and the electorate’s commitment to voting in the rain without using an umbrella.
”It is a very punching illustration,” the President said, referring to remarks made by the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Ganduje, about the election-day rains in Edo.
Earlier in his remarks, the party’s national chairman, Senator Ganduje, commended the leadership and support of the President, the governors, and all stakeholders.
”On the day of the election, there was an exciting scenario: it was raining heavily, yet people came out to vote without using an umbrella. Your Excellency, the people were convinced that our party is the party to be voted for, and we won the election, ” he said.
The APC chairman noted that the party’s next focus is securing victories in the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Ondo and Anambra states.
He said: “The election in Anambra is part of our programme, ‘ Political de-marginalization of Southeast geopolitical zone. Having only two states in the Southeast as APC is too small for us. We need more states from the Southeast geo-political zone”.
Speaking with newsmen after the meeting with the President, the Governor-elect
said he is expecting a congratulatory message from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), especially its candidate that lost in the just concluded gubernatorial election, Asue Ighodalo.
Okpebholo urged the opponents to accept the outcome of the election and proceed to congratulate him on the resounding victory.
”If I had lost I would have borne it, and I would have, by now, congratulated the winner. So I’m expecting them to congratulate me,” he said.
Okpebholo who received his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before visiting the State House to meet with the President, Bola Tinubu, said he would be servant-leader to the people of Edo state.
The governor-elect who also extended hand of fellowship to his opponents in last Saturday’s governorship election, said “I am coming as a servant to serve Edo people, which is what is required of me, and that is exactly what I am going to do.
He however, stressed that he was ready to work with the opposition and accommodate only quality-bearing and useful ideas to raise the bar of governance and development in the state.
His words: “For me, I’m coming as a servant to serve the Edo people. That is what is required of me, and that is what exactly I’m going to do. So very soon, you will see a lot of development coming up in Edo.
“We are going to employ teachers. We are going to renovate our schools…a lot will be happening over time. So with time, you recognise that a new dawn has happened.
“If they have an idea that is beautiful, that is acceptable by the people, then why not? My door is open to everybody.”
On his part, former Governor of the State, Senator Adams Oshiomhole said Edo is now blessed with a governor they can relate to easily.
Oshiomhole who was former National Chairman of the APC, pointed out that governance was not necessarily building roads and schools but about a leadership that is compassionate and listens to the feelings of the people.
According to him: “Only God can confer power. Man can make all the effort. If God chooses not to crown it, it will be in vain. So politicians campaign in vain, unless God campaign for you. And I think that is our case, and I am excited not only for the fact that we have reclaimed Edo state, almost in the same manner that we reclaimed it from PDP in 2007, before Obaseki took it away back from us.
“My joy is the fact that Edo people will now have a governor that they can hug, they can touch, they can feel, and the governor that will open the doors. Edo State people now have a governor that will not send pregnant women to jail on account of N20,000 fine by a mobile court and who might end up delivering inside Prison.
“We have a man with compassion, with human feeling; because governance is not just about building roads and schools. It is that human touch; a governor with empathy, humble enough to recognise that public trust is not like a corporate chief executive. Corporate chief executive can behave the way he wants because he heads the business because it is his father’s money.
“But with public trust, the vote of the labourer and the vote of the professor, the vote of the pauper, the beggar and the vote of the wealthiest person, one man, one vote is equal. And so we have a governor who understands this, and who went through this process just about a year ago, and his people entrusted him with the senatorial representation in Edo central. And what is going for him is precisely what the other guys fail to understand.
“The fact that he’s at home with the ordinary man, is at home with the ordinary woman. He understand the challenges of the rural poor. So they are all excited now that they are back again with a governor that they can say, ‘this is my governor.”
Deji Elumoye
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