Ahead of the governorship election in Edo State, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Patrick Imasuagbon, has said that by Saturday, godfatherism in the state will be brought to an end.
He said this on Wednesday on Channels TV’s Politics Today, in reaction to comments by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) calling on the Edo people to reject the incumbent governor Godwin Obaseki of the PDP.
Imasuagbon described the comments as “laughable”, adding that “all the tricks have failed” as these are not ancient times.
“Saturday will be a referendum against the godfathers,” he stressed.
“Edo is not Lagos. Ahmed Bola Tinubu will be beaten, Oshiomhole will be beaten..this is a final gathering of the good people of Edo State versus the very few godfathers.
“The battle between the people and the god-fathers, the good and bad, light and darkness, those who have looted the treasury of Nigeria from Lagos to Edo State over the years.
“Edo people, we are willing to defeat the godfather. This is the final onslaught.
“I can tell you that by Saturday, it will be over for all the Godfathers”.
Imasuagbon described Obaseki as a performing governor who deserves a second term and someone who “represents a new generation”.
“Oshimhole had two tenures, Lucky Igbinedion had two tenures, why will Obaseki not have two tenures,” he asked.
But in a swift reaction, a chieftain of the APC, Patrick Ikhariale, described Obaseki as “highly dictatorial”.
He said Tinubu’s comments were accurate and “there was no better way to put it than that”.
“He is not a democrat and I can tell you this from empirical analysis.
“Obaseki has shown that in every sense of the word, he is not a democrat; he tried to play victim, whereas, he is a villain. He is highly dictatorial”.
According to him, “the election of 19th of September is a democratic process, so it should be left for democrats to decide who their candidate is.”
Shortly after, the conversation erupted into a face-off as both men delved into other claims and counterclaims.
This will be the first major election organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the COVID-19 era and it is also the first time that a peace accord is being signed for a governorship election.
The National Peace Committee (NPC) headed by former Head of State, General Abdulsalmi Abubakar (rtd), on Tuesday made the contesting political parties to sign the pact in which they were charged to ensure they work for peace and also accept the outcome of the elections.
Both Obaseki and Ize-Iyami who are widely believed to be leading candidates, beamed with smiles and hugged each other warmly, as they signed the pact, dousing fears of possible violence.
Source: Channels TV
