State governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) vowed yesterday to give the Senate the 'Turkey civilians treatment' if it ever attempts to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari.
Chairman of the APC Governors Forum and Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha sounded the note of warning at the flag off of the campaign of the party’s candidate in the September 10 governorship election in Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
Okorocha, speaking against the background of alleged threat by a few Senators to move against Buhari said the generality of Nigerians were solidly behind the President and would not tolerate any attempt by a few people to hound him out of office.
He said that Nigerians would resist any attempt to impeach the President. Meanwhile, over two thousand members of the PDP in the state led by a veteran politician and one of the founding fathers of the PDP in the state, Chief Samson Esemuede openly defected to the APC yesterday, declaring their support for the candidate of the party, Mr. Obaseki.
National chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who handed over to Obaseki and his running mate, Philip Shuaibu, the APC flag described Obaseki as a hardworking and focused young man “who will make us proud after Oshiomhole”. The Director General of the Obaseki Campaign Organization, Osarodion Ogie said Obaseki is “a good product for Edo people and that is why Edo people are behind him”. The flag-off ceremony was quite colourful as the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium venue of the exercise was filled to capacity while about twelve governors of the APC, led by the chairman of the Progressives Governor’s Forum and governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha were there.
Okorocha said Buhari’s emergence marked the extinction of the Peoples Democratic Party in Nigeria.
Okorocha pledged that the APC would always place a premium on the well being of the people of the state.
The APC governorship candidate, Obaseki promised to create 200, 000 jobs and sustain the legacies of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
Besides agriculture, other sectors Obaseki promised to harness included entrepreneurship and development of Industries and Technical & Vocational Skills.
Obaseki noted that the APC anchored its campaign on the establishment and furtherance of good governance through institutions, infrastructure, investments, enforcement of law and order, increased production capacity and socio-cultural development.
On women and youth empowerment, Obaseki promised to provide access to Medium and Small Scale Enterprises financing for young entrepreneurs as well as focus on the development of the youths through investments in sports, arts and crafts.
He said access to low interest rate financing for Women-in-Business would be improved upon adding that over 20,000 affordable modern shops would be developed across the state by renovating existing markets and developing new ones under Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
Obaseki promised to implement a pocket friendly tax regime to grow the tax base and noted that his administration would commit itself to a transparent management of tax payers resources at all times
His words, “We state before you all today that we shall not fail even while setting these high standards. We ask that you challenge us to deliver the extra ordinary. Broaden your vision of the Edo State that you want and it will become the Edo State that we will build together.
“I stand before you committed to ensuring that the great work that has commenced and successes recorded in our efforts to build an economically viable, enduring and formidable Edo state is not only achieved but sustained so that we can provide a guaranteed future for our children, empowerment for our women, happy retirement days for Pensioners, access to capital for our farmers, improved conditions of service for the Civil Service, modern markets for our traders, skills development for our artisans, finance for small and medium scale businesses and deeper involvement of the Traditional Institutions in our collective development agenda.
“As Governor, I pledge to build an Edo State that has a strong and resilient economy; an economy that will provide jobs for our teeming youth and fulfill our social aspirations as a people. I will continue the infrastructure revolution and expand the urban renewal and housing efforts. I will focus on women and give them priority in education, health and entrepreneurial opportunities we will create.
“Power, Housing, agriculture and agro processing; mining and extractive industries including petrochemicals; and information technology will form the bedrock on which Edo State would grow its economy and generate jobs and industries.”
On his part, Governor Oshiomhole challenged the PDP governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and former governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion to a road walk on major streets of Benin City and see who will be pelted with stones by the people.
Oshiomhole pointed at the various road projects executed by him, among other things.
He said every infrastructure the PDP said was impossible to undertake in the state has been made possible by his administration.
Oshiomhole asked Ize-Iyamu to account for the N1.7 billion tax-payers money that was paid for erosion control at the famous Teachers’ House and the N1.9billion spent to dualize Okada township road in Ovia North East Local which he said was completed on papers, but abandoned by the previous government.
Also, a member of the APC has alleged that some members of the National Assembly were anti-democratic over their face-off with President Muhammadu Buhari, and especially the alleged move by the Senate to impeach him.
According to Chief Livinus Okwara, any move to truncate the ongoing democratic governance in the country is a bad omen and must be condemned by well-meaning people across the country.
He described President Buhari as a transparent and tactful leader, who is determined to make life more meaningful for the masses, and set the country on the path of greatness once again. He said members of the Senate, who are opposed to the leadership style of the President are self-serving, adding that, “They{ former governors}, who are now Senators, want to continue to enjoy immunity they enjoyed when they were governors in their respective states; that is why they are at loggerheads with the President.”
He accused the law makers of personalizing their roles in the National Assembly by being quick to make laws that would suit their interests as against those that would favour the people they represent.
Okwara, who is also the proprietor of Rimax Institute, Lagos, has, however advised his party’s leadership, including the former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie- Oyegun to synergise and prevent the impeachment threats and other anti-democratic forces from distracting the President from working for the benefits of all.
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