Edo Decides: PDP holds mega rally, vows not to resist intimidation
By Ozioruva Aliu
BENIN CITY – THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday held its mega rally to round up campaigns ahead of next Saturday’s governorship election where the Acting National Chairman of the party Ambassador Ilia Damagun declared that the election would be a test for the country’s democracy, and vowed that they would not be intimidated.
Addressing supporters at Garrick Memorial Secondary School in Benin City, attended by the Presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar and several PDP governors, Damagun said “You have to kill or arrest all of us if you have to take this state.
“You may have gangs but we have God. To INEC, we don’t want that midnight result announcement. It is not a threat but we will defend our votes with our blood”, he said, promising that PDP will continue to give Edo State good governance.
He later presented what he called “the flag of victory” to the governorship candidate of the party, Dr. Asue Ighodalo who promised to take the state to the next level, saying Obaseki has built a solid foundation for the state.
On his part, Governor Obaseki described the governorship election as “existential threat” adding “with all the achievements we have recorded in Edo, we do not want to go back to the dark old days, if they take this state, we will die.”
The party’s Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Adolphous Wabara, urged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, not to announce results of the election until he is sure.
He further urged the INEC boss to correct the wrongs of the 2023 general elections and go on a peaceful retirement.
The Chairman, National Campaign Council of Edo Election and Governor of Adamawa, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri warned against compromising the electoral process and urged the people to come out en masse next Saturday and vote for PDP. He said Edo was known as the cradle of civilization and intellectualism in Nigeria, noting that they must not settle for anything less.
“We cannot be intimidated. We will tell them we know how to win the election. Nobody will rig us out.”
“You cannot at this point of our history, where insecurity has engulfed everywhere, bring someone who has said he is going to bring insecurity to Edo,” Fintiri said.
Also speaking, the chairman of PDP governor’s forum and governor of Bauchi, Bala Muhammed said contrary to speculations of division among PDP governors, the PDP governors were united and solidly behind Obaseki and Asue Ighodalo.
Also, the Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, in his goodwill message, said the PDP candidate had garnered enough experience to tackle the economic crisis.
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Former Vice President, urged the electorate to protect and defend their votes.
He said “make sure you cast your votes, ensure they are counted, escort your votes to the collation centre and make sure they are announced.”
In his welcome address, the state PDP chairman, Anthony Aziegbemi said Edo people would never be intimidated adding that the final rally marks the rebirth of the PDP.
Present at the rally were all PDP governors, Speakers of Edo and Delta, PDP senators and House of Representatives members, religious leaders, PDP women and youth leaders among others.
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