Our loss in Edo painful —PDP

PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur

The Peoples Democratic Party has yet to recover from the loss of the governorship election in Edo State to its major rival, the Action Congress of Nigeria.

This was shown in the letters written by the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Maj.-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (retd.) and the state chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih.

The ACN candidate, who is also the incumbent governor of the state, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, won the election conducted penultimate Saturday.

Although Tukur said in his letters that he appreciated the efforts made by the leadership of the party in the state to win the election, he, however, noted that it was painful that they lost.

He said, “Though a painful loss, considering the quantum of preparation and mobilisation which the party mustered towards the election, I identify with the spirited effort and discipline demonstrated by the party under your good leadership.

“Reconciling all members of the party as a precursor to rebuilding the PDP is a task in which I solicit your usual cooperation and support.

“I encourage you to keep the PDP family intact. We shall re-strategise and build on your present commitment to reclaim Edo State for the PDP, God willing.

“Kudos to all those who laboured with you while the campaign and election lasted.”

Meanwhile, Edo State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu, has said the victory of Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the Action Congress of Nigeria in the last governorship election ended ethnic politics in the state.

Speaking in Benin, on Friday, Odubu, who retained his position for a second term, added that the election erased the impression that politics in the state was all about money.

He said, “The election was a reflection of the wishes of the people. Our victory was sweet because that is what the people want; a man that will perform, not a man that wants to be the richest man in the world.

“You will understand that the Peoples Democratic Party couldn’t even get one quarter of the votes in any of the seven local government councils in Edo south and we won the 77 wards in Edo South, we thank God.

“We asked for sweet victory and we got sweet victory. Oshiomhole has demonstrated that money can never make the difference again in Edo politics. People don’t fight over how much you bring anymore but they are now fighting for which project has not been done in their areas.

“Before, it was just ‘give us the money and you will get the votes’ but none of those hamlets we visited asked for money. It was either they said they needed light, road or water.”

Odubu added that Oshiomhole had performed beyond the expectation of the ordinary Edo man in his first term.