The governor of Yobe State and Caretaker Committee chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mai Mala Buni, at the weekend said the party will take back Edo State from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 19 governorship election.
Buni made the remark at the official flag-off of the governorship campaign and presentation of the party’s flag to its candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, in Benin City.
“We are here in Edo State today to present to you our candidate for the next month governorship election in the state.
“We are here to take back our mandate, our state. Four years ago, we were here and you voted for APC and we have no doubt in our minds that you are going to vote for APC and return Edo State to APC again,” Buni said.
He admonished members of the party to shun violence before, during and after the election.
“We are here to admonish you not to be violent during the campaign processes and the election because victory is ours. We are here to win and not to fight. We must ensure that every vote counts,” he said.
Earlier, the Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, who is also the chairman of the party’s campaign council for the governorship election, assured that the party will win the election.
Ganduje said the responsibility of the national campaign council was to create enabling environment for the mobilisation of voters and the presentation of the party’s candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, especially his Simple Agenda to the good people of Edo State.
While noting that the party has concluded arrangement for the election to be won by APC, he congratulated the party for the successful inauguration of the 14 members-elect of the State House of Assembly and the election of principal officers.
“From the crowd we have seen we have to conclude that we have won this election. I have to congratulate you on the swearing in of the 14 House of Assembly members and the election of the principal officers of the House of Assembly. We do congratulate you and pray God to guide them on the successful deliberations in the House,” he said.
“In fact, we were astonished, surprised and short of words that in the past one year they were not sworn in but now we have succeeded. Three other legislators including the deputy speaker have now successfully joined the train making the total to 17. Seventeen is more than 2/3 of 24 legislators,” he added.
In his acceptance speech, the APC governorship candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, said the party will not only win the election but will win all the 18 local government areas.
Ize-Iyamu said with the official flag-off of the governorship election campaign, the party will on Monday commence its state-wide campaign.
