Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has called on eligible voters to collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) from designated centers and to vote against the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upcoming September 21 election.
He expressed frustration over the APC-led federal government’s poor handling of the nation’s economy, which he says has caused significant hardship for both Edo State and the country at large.
Speaking at a ward meeting in Ward 4, Oredo Local Government Area, Governor Obaseki urged residents to utilize their PVCs to make their voices heard. He expressed confidence that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would win the election, citing his administration’s strong performance over the past eight years as evidence of the party’s readiness for victory.
Obaseki commended the voters for their previous efforts in the voter registration drive and emphasized the importance of turning out to vote.
He said, “When I saw your performance on the voters’ registration exercise, I had to commend you for a job well done. I am here to remind you to go and collect your Permanent Voters Card (PVC); it’s ready.
“This election will not be difficult because you have campaigned enough. It’s not my election because when I did my own election, things were not as bad and difficult as they are today. When our people wanted to protest, we appealed to them not to do so because some bad people planned to use the opportunity of the protest to destroy government infrastructure. This election shall be our protest. We shall use the election to tell them that APC as a party is forbidden in Edo State.”
Obaseki continued: “APC policies caused inflation in Nigeria and the State; they made life difficult for us and as such they will never be near power again. We are almost 16,000 that have collected PVCs in this ward and now through the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise, we have added almost 1,500 more persons.
“We must move from door-to-door to campaign for the party. What the APC wants to do in Edo State will not come to fruition as they have already said they will destroy the ShopRite we have built in Edo. They campaigned, insulting everybody instead of telling Edo people what they want to do for them.
“There is no progress in their mouths. They have no campaign strategy but are full of lies. We need to come out as we should to frustrate all their plans. Their ways are not straight.
“We must not sit at home but go out to campaign for our candidate and party. For every one vote for APC in the ward, we should get 10 for PDP and show examples to other wards.”
He further noted, “After the election in September, I will bring the governor-elect to this ward to see my people. I am here at the ward meeting to let you know that the job you sent me as governor of Edo State, I have done. We have captured our party now in the State and now it is time to grow it.”