Francis Ogbuagu 
…Warns Security Agents Against Taking Sides with any Political party
The Acting National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Umar Damagun has said that the Edo State 2024 Governorship election will be a test for the Nigerian democracy, warning the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to announce the results in the midnight.
He also warned security agents not to take side with any political party during the Saturday governorship election, maintaining that, “You are paid with taxpayers money. You have to accord the values for which you are created. Protect Nigerians, to ensure justice and make sure that everyone is safe”
Damagun,who made the submission at the Grand finale of the Edo PDP Governorship Campaign in Benin City, Edo State charged the people not to vote for hunger, insecurity and bad governance, adding that, “Edo election will be a test for our democracy.”
He said, “We are here today to actually rejoice with you because you have won. From your campaign trains, the people of Edo State accepted our candidate they know that they have already decided not to vote insecurity, hunger and bad governance. This is what is prevalent in the whole country, and not only in Edo.
“And, because they have failed and never had any plans they came by providence of God, and we can’t change that destiny. But they now know that the people have realized that even though at that particular time they came through an illegal process. Today they have been rejected.
“I want to use this opportunity to tell our security agencies. You are paid with taxpayers money. You have to accord the values for which you are created. Protect Nigerians, to ensure justice and make sure that everyone is safe.
Yet, a situation where you decides to take part, let me make this very clear, earlier, speakers have stated it all. You have to kill or arrest all of us if you have to take this state.
“We will be here and be with you and we are ready to give our vote and blood for our right.I want to make this very clear, you may have guns but we have God.”
Continuing ,he said.”To INEC, please, I enjoin you that we don’t want that midnight results announcement. We will be vigilante, on top of the situation, and we will make sure that, that doesn’t happened. And, we are issuing this and it is not a threat, but we are very very serious and we will defend our votes with our blood and everything.
“To the citizens of this country, please watch the election of Edo, it will be a test for our democracy.If they missed it here, it means they are looking for anarchy. We know they will attempt to do so but we will resist them,” he said.
The former Vice president and PDP Presidential Candidate for 2023 General election,Alhaji Atiku Abubakar said the People Democratic Party will not allow the APC to steal the vote of the PDP candidate,and maintained that the APC issued a similar threat in 2020 Governorship election.
He added, “In 2020, they said they will not allow us to win but we show them Edo no be Lagos. This time again we are going to show them Edo no be Lagos.
“You can’t come and steal vote here in Edo, therefore protect your vote, defend your votes, make sure your votes are entered, escort your votes and make sure they are announced and if you do that, no body can change your votes and you are winning come september 21.
On his part, the Chairman, National Campaign Council, Edo 2024 Governorship Election and Governor of Adamawa State, His Excellency, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri warned against compromising the electoral process .
Fintiri said the PDP cannot be intimidated. “We will tell them we know how to win election. No body will rig us out.”
The Adamawa governor urged the people to come out enmass next Saturday and vote for the PDP candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, adding “we know how to win election.”
He said Edo was known as the cradle of civilization and intellectual in Nigeria, noting that they must not settle for anything less.
Fintiri who likened Ighodalo to Obaseki, noted that governor Godwin Obaseki has done his best for the State and left a landmark in terms of human capital development.
He stressed: “you cannot at this point of our history, where insecurity have engulfed everywhere, bring someone who has said he is going to bring insecurity to Edo State.”
The Edo State Governor,Mr Godwin Obaseki said the Edo Governorship election is an existential threat, He warned “if we lose the election,we will all die.
“The man I took over from didn’t have respect for our people and women. Women were going for trafficking and prostitution, today is it still there? No. When I came they said teachers could not read and they abandoned them and today, Edo is number one in education.
“When I came they said civil servants are not good and corrupt and were not paid salary on time but today we have the best civil service in Nigeria.
“When I took over pensioners were wearing black on labour day but today they are wearing white.Now we have Edo jobs Edo Innovate, Edo creative hub, so after eight years with all these achievement do you want to go back ?
“This is an existential threat and this election is a do or die because if don’t ,we will die. Do you want insecurity?, do you want people that didn’t go to school to come and lead us? Next week Saturday is the election, you will vote for PDP and our next governor will be Asue Ighodalo
In his speech, Ighodalo promised to take the state to the next level, saying Obaseki has built a solid foundation for the state.
“Besides, he pledged that he would be transparent and govern with integrity, adding that he believed governor Godwin Obaseki and President Bola Tinubu assurances that the election will be free and fair.
In attendance were all the PDP governors, members of the National Assembly elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic party(PDP) among others
