THE Governor-elect of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, yesterday, promised to be a servant to all people of the state.
He made the promise after the All Progressives Congress, APC, National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje; Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma; and Senator Adams Oshiomhole presented him and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
This was shortly after Okpebholo and Idahosa received their certificates of return as Edo State governor-elect and deputy governor-elect from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Among other APC governors on the entourage included the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara), Uba Sani (Kaduna), Usman Ododo (Kogi) and Dapo Abiodun, (Ogun).
Also in the entourage was the Deputy Governor of Edo, Philip Shaibu.
Recall that INEC had on Sunday declared Okpebholo of the APC as the winner of the September 21 governorship poll in Edo.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the governor-elect pledged to serve all Edo people, adding that he is prepared to work with the opposition if they provide good ideas.
His words: “For me, I’m coming as a servant to serve Edo people. That is what is required of me, and that is exactly what I’m going to do. So, very soon, you will see a lot of development coming up in Edo. We are going to employ teachers. We are going to renovate our schools. A lot will be happening over time. So, with time, you will recognise that a new dawn has happened.”
Asked if he would bring everyone on board his administration, he said: “If they have a beautiful idea, that is acceptable to the people, then why not? My door is open to everybody.c “
He urged those who lost the election to accept the outcome with patience.
“They have to bear it. They have to wait. It has happened. If I had lost I would bear it, and I would have, by now, congratulated the winner. So I’m expecting them to congratulate me,” Okpebholo stated.
Tinubu tasks Edo gov-elect on development
President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, urged Okpebholo to prioritise the development of his state while assuring him of the full support of the Federal Government and the Progressive Governors’ Forum, (PGF.
President Tinubu advised in Abuja at a meeting with the leadership of the APC, where the Edo governor-elect and the deputy governor-elect, Rep. Dennis Idahosa, presented their certificates of return.
He emphasised the importance of good governance and delivering results to the people of Edo State.
‘’Governor-elect, you can now face the task of development. We are here to work with you. You have seen the progressive governors of APC. They are truly progressive. Work with them. Learn the ropes, and I believe you are up to the task,’’ he said.
Acknowledging the challenges of democracy, particularly in emerging economies like Nigeria, the President added: ‘’You have earned the victory. Democracy is difficult, particularly in emerging democracies and economies like ours. ‘If you hear complaints from places like America, you know how difficult it is to navigate democracy. But it remains the best form of government.‘’
The President congratulated Senator Okpebholo and his deputy and described them as a ‘’good symbol of people ordained by God to work together.’
‘’You started as rivals and ended us as partners. You are a symbol of good understanding in politics; the man at our party’s helm has been through it before.
‘’In Kano, he was a front runner, became a second runner, and became a deputy before he eventually became a governor,’’ he said.
Only God confers power —Oshiomhole
On his part, the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole said: “Only God can confer power. Man can make all the effort. If God chooses not to crown it, it will be in vain.
“So politicians campaign in vain unless God campaigns for you. And I think that is our case, and I am excited not only for the fact that we (APC) have reclaimed Edo State, almost in the same manner that we reclaimed it from PDP in 2007, before (Godwin) Obaseki took it away from us.
“My joy is the fact that Edo people will now have a governor that they can hug, touch, feel, and a governor that will open the doors. Edo State people now have a governor who will not send pregnant women to jail on account of a N20,000 fine by a mobile court and who might end up delivering inside Prison. “
In his message to the opposition party in the state, Oshiomhole said: “I have always said this. I said it once, and a section of the media twisted it. Once you have more than one candidate seeking election in any election, only one person will win. My advice to them is that they have to recognise that in 2016 when we won with Obaseki, people allowed him to govern and gave him their support.
“In 2020 when we ran again, he won, under this same INEC and again with the Nigerian Police and Army maintaining security. It is the same institution that has again gone to superintend over this process, and this time, he has lost with his candidate, and Monday Okpebholo won.
“In a genuine democracy, there is no loser. If Monday Okpebholo does all of the things he promised to do (employ teachers, rebuild schools, clean up the mess in the road, restore markets, support farmers, and deal with issues of insecurity) everybody will be safe. And so we are all winners. “So my advice to them is to accept it. This issue has been resolved. Let us work closer. And I expect Monday, by his very nature, he’s not an arrogant person. He’s not going there for vengeance. We should all join forces together to ensure that Edo people enjoy the benefits of democracy and good governance.”
Okpebholo, deputy, receive certificates of return
Earlier, the INEC presented certificates of return as Governor-elect and Deputy Governor-elect to Okpebholo and Dennis Idahosa. at the INEC headquarters.
Dignitaries including Dr Ganduje and some members of the APC National Working Committee, NWC, were in attendance.
Other dignitaries were the court-reinstated Deputy Governor of the State, Philip Shaibu, Senator Matthew Uroghide, General Cecil Esekhaigbe (retd), Senator Francis Alimikhena, Ogbeide Ihama, Omosede Igbinedion and Blessing Agbonmhere among others.
INEC National Commissioner in charge of Edo, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, presented the certificates.
In a brief interview after the event, Okpebholo said he would work for the people of the state, thanking them for giving him their mandate.
Okpebholo has a blueprint for Edo – Ganduje
Also speaking, Dr Ganduje said the incoming governor has a blueprint to develop the state.
“Edo State was an APC state. Later on, the governor as a nomadic politician, cross-carpeted to PDP, but today, we fought for it and we have recovered our state for the APC. I am so happy because essentially, our governor-elect is an experienced politician and a distinguished senator who has a blueprint for the development of Edo State and we assure you, you will see great changes”, he stated.
He won’t fight the Palace or replace hospitals with museums —Oshiomhole
On his part, Oshiomhole said Edo people are excited because they now have a governor who will not be fighting with the traditional institution over artefacts, or demolishing a hospital only to replace it with a museum.
“For us, it is a new dawn. The important thing that I am happy about is that the Edo people now have a new governor who will not disrespect them, we now have a governor who will respect our traditional institutions, the heart of our culture. We now have a governor who will not be fighting about artefacts, we now have a governor who will not demolish a hospital and replace it with a museum, we now have a governor who understands the value of education and will not destroy a library and replace it with a market. For me, this is what excites Edo people.”