…advocates strengthening of a regional corporation.
The re-elected Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has solicited collaboration with governors and leaders of the south-south region to strengthen the economic fortunes of the area.
Governor Obaseki made the request while exchanging views with Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel during a “thank you” visit on the Governor at the Hilltop Mansion, Governor’s Lodge, Uyo, following his reelection at the just concluded Edo State gubernatorial poll.
Also read: PDP attributes Obaseki’s reelection to steadfastness, the dedication of Edo people
He said that the victory would not have been achieved without the corporation and support of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, family, their leaders and the people of Edo state.
Governor Obaseki advocated for such corporation to be deployed to reinvent the economy of the south-south region for sustainable development.
“This region has re-written the history of democracy in Nigeria. Now we have a platform to negotiate, I, therefore, appeal to all leaders to collaborate and make PDP much stronger. Nobody should claim a monopoly of the party. I thank the PDP structure in Nigeria and in Edo State for the job well done.
“I love this brotherhood and cooperation and I crave for such support for Governor Emmanuel just as my people are giving me. The governor needs the support of the party as a pillar of his government”, he appealed.
Obaseki, accompanied by his Wife, Batsy, his Deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, national and state Legislators of Edo extraction and some appointees of his administration, specifically expressed appreciation to Governor Emmanuel and other PDP governors for their role during the campaign that saw to his election that brought him back to the office.
Describing his victory as a basis for unity in the sub-region as well as a step to rebuild the country, Governor Obaseki emphasized the need to foster continuous cooperation among the Niger Delta region.
“…because of what God has done for us in the region, we owe a responsibility to our people in the region to continue to foster this cooperation. My victory has shown unity, it has united us the Edo people and for the first time in a long while, we are all speaking as one. God has helped us use this election and the incidents of the past few months to unite Edo people.
“It has also united us in the sub-region and that is why we decided to take a road tour across the six states comprising Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Edo state so that the thread that links the sub-region would be made stronger” he explained.
Obaseki solicited the collective support of all governors in the South-South region of Nigeria to resuscitate the economy of the region, assuring that his state will provide the needed support as they will no longer accept a situation where the commission and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is under-performing in its responsibilities.
“I plead that in a post-COVID-19 economy, a world that is going to be determined by the fourth industrial revolution, you have a great role to play. We will be relying on you and our chairman in the resuscitation of our “BRACED” Commission.
“Be rest assured that we will provide all the support from Edo State. We can no longer accept a situation where our own commission, the NDDC is ascetic as it has become and is not playing the role that it was supposed to play. It has been so because we have not come together as a sub-region to take our fate in our hands”, he stated.
On his part, Governor Emmanuel thanked Godwin Obaseki on the visit and attributed his victory to the all-round support gained from Edo people and the PDP family especially in the south-south region.
He thanked God for proving himself strong during the election and in the affairs of the region and sued for more corporation from the people of Edo to support the administration of Governor Obaseki to succeed.
Recalling the experience during his reelection, Governor Emmanuel said that Obaseki’s victory is not different from his as it was made possible through a joint effort, stressing that nobody can really beat his chest and lay claim to his reelection for a second term.
” Edo State has emulated what we did in Akwa Ibom, nobody could really beat his chest to say he gave us victory in the election because everybody was made to concentrate in his unit. You know that you couldn’t have done it alone; we needed everybody and that has united us seriously as a party, everybody is important” he emphasized.
