Oshiomhole, Osoba, Adebayo, others embrace Oyegun at grand rally

•Oshiomhole (left), Patrick Obahiagbon, Otunba Adebayo, Chief Osoba and Chief Odigie-Oyegun and his wife... yesterday.

•Ex-governor: ACN is solution to Nigeria’s problems

FORMER Governor of Edo State Chief John Odigie- Oyegun has identified the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as the vanguard of transformation in the country. 

According to him, the party will take control of Ondo State before proceeding to take the leadership at the federal level.

He spoke yesterday in Benin, the state capital, during the campaign of Governor Adams Oshiomhole in Oredo Local Government Area, where the former governor joined the ACN. 

Odigie-Oyegun said his former political platform, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) picked an unknown candidate and expected him to climb the podium and declare that Oshiomhole is not fit to be a governor. 

“My body has been somewhere else but my spirit has been with Governor Oshiomhole. Even the blind can see what Oshiomhole has achieved. Oshiomhole will be elected on July 14.

“Oshiomhole has worked for only two and half years, in another three years do you know what our state will look like? This country must change. The march towards Abuja has begun.”

Former governors of Ogun and Ekiti states, Segun Osoba and Niyi Adebayo, who represented the national caucus of ACN to receive Odigie- Oyegun into the ACN fold, said Oshiomhole will win the forthcoming election. 

Osoba noted that Oshiomhole’s victory will be his birthday gift in July. 

Former External Affairs Minister Chief Tom Ikimi said Oshiomhole has distinguished himself as strong and capable to lead Nigeria after his second tenure. 

Ikimi said Oshiomhole represents the younger generation that will liberate the country. 

Speaking at the rally, Oshiomhole praised Odigie-Oyegun’s effort in joining the ACN, adding that they would work together to impact positively on the populace. 

The governor noted that his administration would continue to chart a new course for politics in the state, describing as laughable that the PDP leaders have been begging President Goodluck Jonathan to manipulate the governorship slated for 14. 

He reminded the President of his earlier commitment to the one-man, one-vote doctrine. 

Oshiomhole said: “Their governorship candidate is running up and down seeking for help from Abuja. We have never seen the god-father campaign? And it is because he knows it will be worst for the PDP when the people of the state see his face. 

“I was warning the old man, when you see that your house is being abandoned by your children, it is time to search your heart. 

“The most intelligent people in PDP have left and their message is the same, that you cannot say that we are small boys at the age of 50. 

“Since the old man cannot get any help any more in Edo he has gone to Abuja so he should remain there. Last week, they were spending money to doctor the voters register. 

“They went to Delta, Kogi, Ekiti, to import people. But you remember when we held election in Akoko Edo, they changed the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), changed the commissioner of police, imported policemen from Abuja, I told them you can change all that but you cannot relocate the people of Edo state. We went for the election and we won hundred per cent. So, we are ready.”