Buhari's warning will begin in Edo if... - Okpozo

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Published on Tuesday, 26 June 2012 09:58

Written by Palmer Ogheneyole Nathaniel

Second Republic Senator and former Deputy Speaker of the defunct Bendel State House of Assembly, Sen. Francis Okpozo has warned President Goodluck Jonathan against conniving with his party to manipulate the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State, saying that the warning by Gen. Mohammadu Buhari on the

possibility of bloodshed if the 2015 elections are rigged, will begin in Edo State if the might of the people is undermined.  

The elder statesman and prominent Isoko leader who have been residing in Edo State for 49years, also noted Oshiomhole's achievements is all that is needed for the electorates to re-elect him for another term.  

"I have lived in Benin City since 1963 when Midwest was created. I have been here as a public servant, I have been here as a politician. I know the terrain and being a former Deputy Speaker of old Bendel State under Prof.Alli’s government, I had good interaction with every body in Bendel State that matters. The truth is bitter but it must be told. I am recalling this because since 1999 it is sad that this PDP government brought suffering for the people of Edo and Delta states. The administration of PDP in Edo state was a chaos.

"There was no road in Benin until Oshiomhole took over. Oshiomhole is not only constructing roads, he is building bridges, giving free education to the people, stabilizing the institutions that he met, building good markets, good schools and others. What can you say about that man? God sent him to come and remove shame from Edo state. And I am glad that His Royal Majesty, the Oba of Benin and all other traditional rulers are giving him support for his second term.

"Oshiomhole has tried and anybody who is making noise that they will come and rig the election here will be wasting his time. Every body is backing the man and if any thing goes wrong in the election, Nigerians will now see sense in what Buhari said because the chaos and end of Nigeria may start from Edo state. So we don’t want chaos in Edo state, we want peace because a peaceful man is the Governor today. So, they must allow free and fair election here and if that happens, Oshiomhole will win with a large margin. 

"I have read PDP people boasting that they will use the President and Federal might to win. But the truth is that they don’t even have that Federal might because Jonathan cannot fool himself. And I want to appeal to President Jonathan not to give support to such illegality because that will dent his image and his good works. He should not listen to those thieves making such noise", he said. 

Continuing, "They want to reap from where they did not sow and nobody should support such evil. I pray they don’t push Jonathan into problem that will cause chaos in this country. But I know that Jonathan is a good son and will not listen to people who have deceived their people for too long and now want to come back to power through the back door. I don’t think Edo people want to go back to darkness, so the PDP should forget it, purge themselves and give the man the desired support for their people and not for their own selfish interest". 

Okpozo also urged President Jonathan to concentrate on addressing the myriads of problems bedeviling the Country, warning him not to be distracted with the call from his teeming sycophants who are more interested in his 2015 Presidential elections than the delivery of the dividends of democracy to the people. 

"When you see certain developments in a country, you have to examine them critically before you speak. I have the interest of this country at heart, so I have been very careful. Some people when they see things, they just talk without minding the implications of their comments. 

"In politics, people say what ever they like, but in order to really make politics effective, people say what is true, what they can stand for. A lot of people have come out to say Jonathan must come back while some said he must go after his first tenure. Jonathan himself has not told Nigerians that he is contesting 2015 election. It is some sycophants around him that are saying that. Jonathan has his own mind but I want to say that advisers have been the bane of defeat of democracy. Defeat of truth, honesty is as a result of sychophancy. We have three years ahead so why don’t they wait for Jonathan before they start blowing his trumpet? Nigerians should be very careful in order not to spark trouble because if this argument goes beyond this stage, it can create anarchy and nobody wants anarchy in this country", he concluded.

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