President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday gave Nigerians some hope – that the economic hardship will be over.
“I assure you that we are going to get out of our economic problems. We are almost out of our security problem and we are going to make Nigeria great again. We are going to be very proud of our country once again. Our size, our resources will not be for nothing. We will continue to grow,” President Buhari said.
He spoke in Benin City, the Edo State capital, at the final campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of Saturday’s governorship election. The Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium venue of the rally was packed with crowds hailing Buhari who walked briskly into the podium.
The President promised to make Nigerians proud of their country again.
He paid tribute to the late Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa, who he described as “forthright” and “a man of foremost integrity”.
The rally was attended by leaders of the APC, including National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who is the chair of the campaign council.
The President told the huge crowd of APC supporters at the rally that “Oshiomhole has reminded you what we have gone through since 1999-2015. We have seen development more than what it used to be when Edo State was created. It was at that time that I met with the Oba who has joined his ancestors, and I saw a man with great integrity and there is no doubt that there is hardly any traditional ruler which is foremost and forthright like him.”
“Edo people are lucky because as long as Nigeria exists, we will continue to play our role in stabilising Nigeria. We are a nation of great human and material resources, especially the youth. Please sit down and reflect and remember what I said years ago that there is no other nation like Nigeria. We will remain one together because no matter where you go, the colour of your skin will be a problem for you.
“I congratulate Obaseki and I recommend him to you. He is a seasoned man so that you will continue to grow in Edo State. You have a credible team; you better hold them tight and ensure that Obaseki succeeds.”
The President visited Crown Prince Eheneden Erediauwa shortly after his arrival in Benin. They met for about 40 minutes at the palace of Erediauwa, who is also the Edaiken Uselu.
Buhari’s plane touched down at 10.20 a.m.
Members of his entourage included Odigie-Oyegun, Ambode and Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige, among others.
Security was heavy around the Benin Airport and on Stadium Road as well as adjoining streets.
Ambode, who spoke on behalf of APC governors, said Edo State could be like Lagos State if the people voted for continuity just like Lagos had done since 1999.
Ambode noted that Obaseki has the financial expertise to make Edo become like Lagos State as well as continue on the foundation laid by Oshiomhole.
“Edo has witnessed more development in the past eight years. Oshiomhole has laid a solid foundation. Continuity is the way to go by people. Lagos has voted continuity since 1999 and the result is there for everybody to see. Edo can be like Lagos. Obaseki has the financial expertise to make it happen. Edo cannot and should not throw away the the success bearer. Edo must vote APC on Saturday.”
He said: “Lagosians voted for continuity last year and we are all witnesses to the progress we are recording in Lagos. We have been voting for continuity since 1999 in Lagos and the results are very clear for everyone to see. Edo State can be another Lagos. The state has all the potentials to be great. It is in the heart of commerce and economic greatness.
“You all need Godwin Obaseki now. He will bring his financial expertise to turn Edo State around for the better. People ask me what is the secret of our progressive governance in Lagos and I tell them it is very simple, in the last 16 years till May 2015, we were in opposition whereby we had PDP at the centre and Lagos in APC.”
Oshiomhole said the country will never produce billionaires and millionaires without office address under President Buhari who he described as a thief catcher.
Oshiomhole, who said Saturday’s election is between two candidates urged the people to vote for the APC that did government business differently and not the party whose candidate participated in government that failed to invest in roads, education, hospital and water.
He explained that the Bendel Brewery was owing N2bn at the time he came into office and that the N2bn was borrowed and shared by principal actors in the then PDP government.
“No candidate of worth voting for in the PDP. Edo cannot return to that era of sharing the money.”
On the Esan Water Project, the governor told the crowd that President Buhari promised to complete it.
He said the PDP government approved the project and did not execute the job but invited then Vice President Namadi Sambo to inaugurate it.
He said it was an investigation by the Department of State Service (DSS) that informed Sambo that the job was not executed as only an overhead tank in place without any water was at the site.
Odigie-Oyegun said the people at every ward could point to a project put in place by the APC during the party’s campaign tours.
He said it was for the people to decide between two periods of 10 years before Oshiomhole and eight years after Oshiomhole.
“This is not a matter of sentiments. The face of Edo has changed dramatically under Oshiomhole,” the party chairman said.
Obaseki said the previous PDP government said the state was poor and, therefore, did nothing in all sectors of the economy.
“Before Oshiomhole, we were told Edo was poor. We have shown that government can work. Vote for continuity. What Oshiomhole has done is part one of our plan. There will be youths and women empowerment. We will create 200,000 jobs in the first four years,” the candidate said.
