The Governor of Edo state his Excellency, Godwin Obaseki has said that the National leader of the All Progressive Congress APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and many others like him, are threats to the practice of Democracy in Nigeria.
This statement by Governor Obaseki who also happens to be the winner of the just concluded Edo 2020 gubernatorial election held on Saturday September 19 2020, was made on Tuesday in an interview on the morning show of ARISE TV, which also was the broadcast arm of THISDAY.
Governor Obaseki talking about the former Lagos State governor Tinubu and others like him said that they were like ”Extra constitutional players.” who constituted a grave threat to Democracy in Nigeria.
While shedding light on what he meant by ‘extra constitutional players’ governor Obaseki said that ” there was nowhere in the constitution of the All progressive congress (APC), that provides for the position of National Leader, a title which Tinubu bears.”
He went further to state that ”there is nothing in our party or constitution of our party that gives anybody the title of a leader. As such, bearing that title does not give them any constitutional power to sit at the comfort of their rooms and decides who gets elected or appointed to any office.”
He thus insisted that ” if we allow them to continue with this practice of dictating play especially as far as politics is concerned then it will harm the development and pursuit for authentic democracy in Nigeria.
Democracy is supposed to be a government of the people by the people and for the people. The way this so called political leaders and godfathers interfere, impose and project their political opinions on the people is no longer a true way to practice democracy.
Prior to the Edo gubernatorial elections, The former Lagos State governor, Tinubu was seen in a video calling and trying to convince the people of Edo state to reject Governor Godwin Obaseki’s re-election and persuaded them to vote for Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu of the All Progressive Congress at the Polls.
The people of Edo state however, defied this late clarion call by Tinubu, whose schemes majorty of them.were already aware of, to vote for the candidate of their choice.
Immediately after the election, Governor Godwin Obaseki of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, emerged victorious, defeating APC candidate Pastor Osage Ize Iyamu by a wide margin.
The Edolites, reacting to the originally proposed electoral malpractice and attempt at manipulation of the people of Edo state, by the former Lagos State governor, claimed that ”Edo is not Lagos.”
Indeed there is a wide range of support and clamour by the people of Edo state that the era of godfatherism and electoral manipulations oppressions, dictatorship, violence and rigging are over. The peoples mandate must prevail above all.
Majority of the legal luminaries in Edo state are of the opinion also that the elections was evidently free and fair and thus advised against the rumours and proposed plans by the APC to contest the results of the just concluded Edo 2020 gubernatorial election because such actions, will be tantamount to a waste of time, money, and resources.
Indeed Edo has set a pace for true Democracy and hope it spreads to all part of this great country Nigeria.
