My successor’ll not come from Igbinedion’s family — Oshiomhole

Ahead of the Edo State governorship election, Governor Adams Oshiomhole has reiterated that his successor will not emerge from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party or the political family of former Governor Lucky Igbinedion.

Governor Oshiomhole disclosed this while addressing journalists in Benin, the state capital, on Tuesday.

Oshiomhole, who criticised Igbinedion for claiming that the PDP would win the poll by a wide margin, said that he was aware that the former governor and other leaders of the opposition had been “in pains” since he (Oshiomhole) became governor in 2008.

He also said that his administration had defeated politicians who had claimed to be godfathers.

The governor said, “I want to make it clear to Lucky that the next governor can never be from the Igbinedion family. The next governor will be a people’s governor and that person, by the special grace of God, is Godwin Obaseki.

“I am aware that they are in pains since I became governor; I had to retrieve all they held hostage and gave (them) back to the people.

“Our people will never go back to the dark days and my fight against godfathers has been successful and that is why, today, any Edo man or woman can become a governor without going to any godfather. They (godfathers) are crying and I am happy. They will continue to cry.

Oshiomhole also urged Igbinedion not to bother about the outcome of the September 28 election, adding that both the PDP and its candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, would not win.

“So, let me tell Lucky, my good friend, to forget about the result of the election because his PDP and Ize-Iyamu will not win. He should ask himself what his PDP has done in Edo to deserve victory.

“So, they should stop their bad dream of victory. Edo people have rejected the godfathers and they will not return.”

The former governor could not be immediately reached for comments.

But Igbinedion had, in a text message sent to our correspondent on Sunday, said that his family did not claim ownership of the state but was interested in its development.

He added, “The house of Igbinedion has never laid claim to the ownership of Edo State. But we have an interest in the development of the state — both the private and public sectors.

“Let Edo decide under whose administration they have enjoyed more prosperity and not vile, rude propaganda.”

Postponement of Edo election, a coup against Nigerians – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party has condemned the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission to postpone the Edo State governorship election, describing it as a coup against Nigerians.

INEC had on Thursday night postponed the election till September 28 a day after the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force advised it to shift the poll due to security threats.

However, the PDP, in a statement by its spokesperson, Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, condemned the move, adding that under the current INEC, all elections conducted had either been inconclusive or truncated.

It said, “The postponement of the election by INEC is illegal, unconstitutional and a breach of the peoples’ trust in the commission and the security agencies.

“It is a coup against the people of Edo State in particular and Nigerians in general. Since APC assumed power, virtually all elections conducted by INEC have either been inconclusive or truncated.

“Saturday’s election in Edo State must be an exemption. We will not accept anything less than free, fair and transparent election conducted and concluded the same day. INEC must rise to the occasion to restore the confidence of Nigerians in its operations.

“Edo is a test case. With the way INEC is performing, how are we sure that it would be able to handle the 2019 general elections. Our democracy is under a serious threat from the APC and its Gestapo security agencies.

“It is shameful and indeed a major constitutional breach for the security agencies to act in concert with the APC to truncate an election that had been planned for months.”

But the ruling party, the APC, has yet to comment on INEC’s decision to postpone the Edo State governorship election till September 28.

Attempts to get an official reaction from the party’s National Secretariat, in Abuja, on Thursday were unsuccessful.

Repeated calls to the mobile of the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, were not returned.

A response to a text message sent to him was still being awaited as of the time of filing this report.

Similarly, the mobile phone of the party’s National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, indicated that it was switched off when the line was called.