The Edo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday said 80 percent of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s family members have endorsed its candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo ahead of the September 21 governorship candidate in the state.
Speaking in an interview with TheScrutiny, Prince Kassim Afegbua, Director of Media, Edo APC Campaign Organisation said Obaseki’s family members publicly distanced themselves from the governor and declared their support for Okpebholo at the APC rally in Oredo local government.
“Let them continue to blackmail Okpebholo. Here is a man who has had engagements with several stakeholders in Edo, including lecturers of Ambose Alli University (AAU) that Obaseki has killed. He has had engagements with farmers in the state and they have endorsed him”.
“As we speak, even 80 percent members of Obaseki’s family have endorsed Monday Okpebholo. They did it in broad daylight at our campaign in Oredo. They distanced themselves from the governor for his failure and his inability to perform to expectation. They said he has given a bad name to the family. They publicly said they will support Monday Okpebholo in the forthcoming governorship election”.
“So, when you are getting all kinds of support from people like lecturers, artisans, opinion moulders and even the Enigies and the Ohen who are the traditional chiefs of all the 7 local governments, then it shows you who is going to win the election”.
According to Afegbua, no amount of blackmail against Okpebholo to coerce him to grant interview with Arise Television will work as the APC candidate is busy campaigning in all the rural areas where the people have no access to television and have suffered a great deal under the misrule of Governor Obaseki.
“They think it is by blackmailing us with Arise Television that will make Edo people vote for them. They are making a big mistake. In Edo today, APC is the party to beat and i will give you statistics. Out of 9 House of Reps members, APC has 7 while PDP and LP have 1 each. Out of 3 senators, APC has 2, PDP has 1 and LP has nothing”.
“They imposed local government chairmen who are feeding fat on the allocation. As soon as the Supreme Court gave verdict, the government said they are setting up a committee to implement the verdict of the apex court in the land. Is that not ridiculous and laughable? We are not going to gladiate them with the sinfulness of their actions. We are going to tell Edo people all these facts”.