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EDO LP GUBER ASPIRANT: No power can stop Obidient Movement, it has come to stay

Ernest Osabhuohien Abegbe hails from Agadaga, Ewohimi in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State. He’s a notable and vibrant leader in Labour Party as well as the Obidient Movement Worldwide, and now governorship aspirant under Labour Party for Edo 2024 polls. In this Interview with OJIEVA EHIOSUN, he spoke on a number of national issues particularly the 2023 general elections, his mission and vision for Edo State, and above all why Nigerians should reject the old political order and embrace the new era. Excerpts:

You are coming into politics for the first time and have become a frontrunner in the governorship race, what is your motivation?

Well thank you very much. Just a point of correction I’m not coming into politics for the first time, I have been in it for a long time, particularly in Abuja where I live. I fully joined the home politics in 2020 during Governor Godwin Obaseki second term bid when it became necessary to align with the Edo people to put an end to godfatherism in the state. I have never supported any candidate on personal interest, but for the general wellbeing of the state and the nation. By the special grace of God I played a very crucial role in Edo 2020 election. I was a devoted leader in PDP before joining the Labour Party which happened immediately Mr Peter Obi moved to the party. My decision was based on the fact that our nation (Nigeria) is in dire need of a competent leader with sound moral value and integrity to bring her out of the current mess.

Being a politician that has been around, have you contested any elective position before now?

No, I have not, the Edo guber 2024 is my first time and by God’s grace I will get it. I do not belong to the class of people who try things many times before they succeed. By salvation everything works for us at every instance and nothing fails in our hands. My close allies can attest to this. Many people see guber race as herculean task, why? Just have the right attitude, competence and integrity.

Politics is seen as a dirty game, and people see you as a complete gentleman, do you think you can face the good, the bad and the ugly side of politics particularly where political office seekers go extra mile for power?

Thank you for that beautiful question. Look, that has been the deception which made the right people to stay off politics for the wrong ones. Then was darkness, but now light has taken over, (John 1:5). They call it dirty game while in the actual sense it is some of the players that have dirty mind-set. Politics is neat and clean, depending on your approach towards it. Genuine politics is all about people and their welfare, how do you contribute to the society positively? How do you help people get out of poor situations? How can you make life confortable for the people and have a good name instead of making personal gains? As a leader you should be able to leave a good legacy that people would remember you for.

Why did you leave PDP for Labour Party/the Obidient Movement?

Yes, the Bible says surely there is an end to everything that is not good. In Exodus 3:7-8 the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey…. Nigeria had gone through difficulties but God has blessed this country with enormous resources more than any other nation in the world. But today where are we? The wickedness of the wicked has suppressed the nation and oppressed the people. The masses have become beggars in their land, in a country so enriched with all blessings from Heaven, just because a few in the society have hijacked the system for their personal and selfish interest. Peter Obi came on board through God’s intervention as light over darkness and that is what God said in the Bible (John 1:5). Obidient Movement on a rescue mission has come to stay and there is no power that can stop it. Nobody sees light and wants to remain in darkness. Nigeria will be totally liberated in no distance time and those that will oppose this divine movement will face the wrath of God just like what befell Pharaoh and his men.

Do you have what it takes to battle the party in power come 2024 guber poll in Edo State if given the ticket of your party?

Yes of course. God and the people are the deciding factors in the game and they are with us. I can tell you that nobody will be against us and no force can stop us from winning the election. It is gross deception that has kept the right people off politics, paved ways for the wrong ones to be in authority all this while. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. I strongly believe that even the governor will not support a candidate based on party line because he will want a credible and competent person to succeed him for a better Edo State. He will want someone that will not steal a dime from the state treasury, so he will support us when the time comes. What Edo needs now is someone with the required capacity, competence and integrity to move the state forward in all facets of human development.

How genuine is the Esan agenda for Edo 2024?

Esan agenda is no longer an issue for debate as it has already been settled. If you go round the three senatorial districts in Edo State, there is no dissenting position on whether or not the next governor will come from Edo Central (Esan). The Edo North has served eight years through Adams Oshiomole while Edo South is completing its eight years and no soothsayer is needed to tell you the senatorial district where the next governor of Edo State will come from. We have long graduated from Esan agenda to how the best candidate with sellable credentials of competence, capacity and integrity can emerge across parties’ line from Esan (Edo Central) to succeed Obaseki. I’m aware that despite the above position, there could be a few individuals outside Edo Central who have no regard for equity, truth and may still want to give a trial, expecting miracle to happen in a wrong foundation and through the back door. It is now the responsibility of the political parties that believe in fairness, unity and truth to ignore such individuals and respect the equitable zoning system. In Nigeria, zoning is a practice in which political parties agree to distribute their elective positions among different geopolitical zones in order to ensure that no region of the country is permanently excluded from power. Character, integrity and competence will determine the choice our Edo people will make.

People have accused leaders of Labour Party as betrayers due to the alleged anti-party activities in State House of Assembly elections as well as Governorship elections across the country particularly in Edo State. What is your take on this?

I do not have information of what happened in other states, but for Edo state, I’m aware that some candidates in State House of Assembly were accused of alleged technically stepping down for other candidates. Apart from above instance, The attitude of INEC in the February 25, 2023 poll, the reneging on the real time transmission of presidential results from the poling units and the will of the people that have not been rectified with the people’s mandate yet to be restored caused the people to be angry and discouraged. But I do know that there is nothing too difficult for God. I strongly believe that Nigerians will get their mandate back.

Do you see Peter Obi winning the case in court looking at the judicial system in Nigeria where skepticism has grown in recent time?

Yes, I strongly believe we will get justice, the case had gone beyond the shores of Nigeria, people are coming out with reliable facts, figures and evidence about the election. The international community is getting involved in the matter, the hearts of men are in the hands of God. You can’t cheat God and be free. The interest of the whole world is in this matter. We are waiting for the court to correct the wrongs by restoring the stolen mandate to the good people of Nigeria.

What is your mission in Edo 2024 governorship election?

Our mission purposely is to come and serve our people diligently, work on infrastructure, deliver the dividends of democracy to the electorate, create jobs opportunities, better the health sector, education and bring back genuine agricultural revolution which Edo people are known for. Whatever the present governor has done in the past years, we are coming in to drastically improve on it, focus on the economy, infrastructure, job creation, education and youth development. When you make life better for citizens, there will be no crime and criminalities; when people have food on their tables to eat, they will be happy. We must be able to drastically reduce the unemployment and sufferings which our people are currently passing through by the siting of various industries in each of the 18 local government area of the state. I already have the master plan for Edo State and a mapped out programme to check insecurity in the land. Part of my paradigm shift agenda is to promote transparency, accountability, and a secure environment that will fast track economic development in the state. Once elected, I will hit the ground running as I’m not coming to learn the ropes. My experience in both the public and private sector has prepared me for the task ahead and I won’t waste time trying to figure out where and when to start from or what to do. The impact of my programmes will be tangible and felt by Edo people and the nation.

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