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After extensive deliberations on and review of the political developments in the ruling All Progressives Congress in Edo State, the group made up of over 300 Leaders and members of the Party across the State resolved as follows:

That we hereby declare our unalloyed support for the National Leadership of the All Progressives Congress ably led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

That we are committed to rescuing the All Progressive Congress in Edo State due to the monumental loss it suffered in the last Presidential and National Assembly elections as a result of the actions of Governor Godwin Obaseki towards the party and its members.

That as the next Governorship Elections in Edo State approaches we are resolved to work and deliver any candidate who is adequately equipped to strike a balance between delivering on good governance for the people and promoting the party platform that formed the government. Governor Godwin Obaseki certainly does not fit into this condition

That we urge the National Leadership of our party the APC to support this efforts else we stand the risk of losing hold on the government of Edo State to the other political parties with whom the Governor is already empowering clandestinely.

That we condemn in the strongest terms the resort to intimidation and harassment of loyal party members by the Governor and his aides on account of their dissent with the style of Governance and not fulfillment of promises made to many Local government areas. For example: a. The Governor recently threatens to deal with the State Secretary of the Party Mr. Lawrence Okah if he does not heed his demand to resign as Secretary on account of his closeness to the National Chairman of the party. b. The Vice Chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Council Hon Eleduwa was recently purportedly impeached by Councillors on the prodding of some aides and acolytes of the Governor on account of his closeness to the former Deputy Governor of the State who also contested the Governorship Primaries in 2016 with the Governor. c. The Governor recently threaten to disallow an elected member of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Chris Ewere Okaeben from been inaugurated in the upcoming Assembly. d. A Special Assistant to the Chairman of Uhunmwode Local Government Council was recently sacked on the orders of a latter day convert of the Governor on account of his posts on social media about the state of infrastructure in Uhunmwode LGA. All these and many more acts of harassment and intimidation of party members have been the hallmark of the Governor Godwin Obaseki administration.

That we note with great pain the unwholesome attitude of Governor Obaseki during the last Presidential and National Assembly elections wherein he discriminated among the candidates of the party by supporting those he considered his candidates and starved those he considered the candidates of the National Chairman thereby resulting in the collossal loss of that election in two out of the three Senatorial districts in Edo State. Indeed Governor Obaseki lost his ward, local government, federal constituency and Senatorial District.

That we demand the immediate opening of the five star Central Hospital in Benin City built by the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole administration and the resuscitation/ opening of the Tayo Akpata

University , Ekiadolor and College Of Agriculture, Iguorhiakhi for the use and benefit of Edo Citizens.

That we urge the State and National Leadership of the All Progressives Congress should note and enforce stringent measures against the Governor whose anti party posture which has become a matter of public knowledge.

(SGD).Engr. F. E. Evbuomwan

Alhaji Charlton Mogaji. Chief Francis Inegbeniki

Barr. MacDonald Obasuke. Hon Patrick Ikhariale

Mrs. Mabel Adams. Hon Bright Osayande

Rt.Hon Thomas Okosun. Hon Luqman Mohammed

Barr. Hayart Asunogie. Hon Anselm Agbabi

Comrade Osakpamwan Eriyo. Comrade Tony Kabaka

Hon Abdul Oroh. Alhaji Ahmed Musa

Hon. Ken Ihenseikhien. Mr.Matthew Ehigie

Barr. S.S Mayaki. Hon Gideon Obhakhan

Alhaji Waziri Oshiomah.               Barr. Chris Ebare

Barr. Isimeme Iribhogbe. Mr. Peter Oba

Barr. Monday Eboigbe.  Prince Ody Okojie.

Mr. Oladokun Osagie.    Mr. Phillip Edobor

Engr. J.E. Eribo. Barr.      Osaro Osemwengie.

Mr. Jolly Igbinovia

Mr. Uwadiae Odigie

Hon Henry Idahagbon. Hon Samson Raph. Osagie

By Henson Atolagbe

In the build up to the 2016 gubernatorial elections not a few persons believed that the outgoing performing governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole will shove aside his Deputy to present the little known Godwin Obaseki as candidate of the APC.

The primaries came and Obaseki picked the ticket with Dr. Pius Odubu coming second amidst little or no resistance by a section of the political class who felt another candidate would have been better.

For Dr. Pius Odubu it was the will of God and he accepted his fate and continued with his job as Deputy Governor without any indication that anything has happened between him and his boss.

As Deputy Governor he had the trust of the Governor hence the longest single road project embarked upon by the Oshiomhole administration was constructed in Orhionmwon from Ugo to Urhonigbe. He also had the confidence of his boss to disburse agricultural loans and tools to farmers in every nook and cranny of Edo State. He supported many landmark projects from the conception to execution embarked by the State government.

He indeed , gave his all to ensure that the sterling performance of the administration was achieved.

Prior to that he had served as a representative of the Orhionmwon and Uhunmwode Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives for a period of eight years beginning from the dawn of democracy in 1999. In all of these positions he had had no cause to answer to any petition with law enforcement agencies. He had an unblemished record of public service.

With the Obaseki administration coming to a close by November 2020, amidst widespread disaffection among numerous party members over what many now termed as a rogue administration and unnecessary battle with party leaders and members, for the APC in Edo State, an Obaseki or anyone in its guise will be unacceptable.

Dr. Pius Odubu’s humane disposition, hands on knowledge and inderstanding of the workings of government and all its organs, he comes across as the man who will represents a paradigm shift from the belligerence of the Obaseki’s government towards the party and the citizens to that of a silent achiever that will drive development along the Oshiomhole governance model with beneficial modifications where and whenever the circumstances arises.

Schooled in Nigeria and the United States of America, Dr Pius Odubu , a Lawyer and Political Scientist is unarguably the perfect fit to end the ” political insurgency ” currently being experienced in Edo State.

Earlier in the life of this administration, he had provided leadership together with some notable gladiators like Charles Airhiavbere, Chris Ogiemwonyi, Henry Idahagbon, Samson Osagie, Thomas Okosun, Francis Inegbeniki, Solomon Edebiri, Late Charlton Mogaji, Osakpamwan Eriyo, Tony Kabaka, Osarobo Idahosa, the fourteen legislators elect(G-14), Mabel Adams, Omorede Osifo and numerous party members and leaders who Governor Obaseki has pencilled down for retirement or ill treatment. It was such a formidable movement to guarantee the survival of the party inspite of the fact that he and others were already out of government.

His nomination as Chairman Designate was greeted with excitment by all Edo people including the palace of the Oba of Benin who thanked Mr President for considering Edo State for such a position. But for the Obaseki’s government that was not to be. They sponsored unpatriotic elements to embark on numerous litigations to thwart that appointment.

According to one of Edo’s media activists John Mayaki in his writing on Odubu on January 4th , 2020 @PMNews -Dr. PIUS ODUBU:Lessons on Restraint and Leadership

“Unable to stomach the rising profile of Dr. Pius Odubu and yet another recognition of his talent and leadership abilities, a factor that resulted in his nomination as the Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission [NDDC], Godwin Obaseki, took on the role of spoiler-in-chief and began to collude with actors in the opposition party to throw a spanner in the works”

Today, what would have been a blessing to Edo State has been taken away by Godwin Obaseki and his unpatriotic allies.

As APC sets to chose a new helmsman in the upcoming primaries, Dr. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu will perfectly fill the vacuum of the leadership deficit that Edo has witnessed three and half years down the line, restore peace to all facets of human endeavors, bring about cohesion among the political class, support Edo sons and daughters to get into national reckoning, assist the poor and downtrodden, support students in schools, provide security and welfare for the people and above all show absolute respect for traditional institutions and statesmen whose role in engineering peace and security cannot be underestimated.

Dr Pius Odubu believes in the Edo project and will work for it.

~ Henson Atolagbe writes from Auchi in Edo State