Obaseki is the man for Organised Labour

By Simon Ebegbulem
APC candidate, Mr. Godwin Obaseki got the support of organised labour at the weekend on the basis of the legendary role of his benefactor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in the nation’s past class struggles.

The platform for the endorsement was a rally organised in honour of Oshiomhole where the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as led by Ayuba Wabba and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) urged voters in the state to vote for the APC candidate.

Comrade Uche Obigwe who represented Wabba at the rally said labour decided to adopt Obaseki due to the developmental strides of the governor Adams Oshiomhole led administration in the state.

While noting that at the time that Oshiomhole took over that flights to Benin from Abuja were just three in a week, he said after two consecutive terms of Oshiomhole that Benin had become an investor’s destination.

“We are pleased that as he prepares to end his second tenure as the governor of Edo State, we need to assist him and give him all the necessary support to enable his legacies to be sustained.

Godwin Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu

“I ask for the massive support of all the workers and working people in Edo State come 28th September 2016 by voting en masse for Godwin Obaseki.

“I don’t want us to return to the years of regrets. You know what we passed through then. It is on this note that we in the labour movement have resolved not to stay aloof.

“To our governor, we are very grateful to you for making us very proud and for your continuous support.

“We are here to appreciate his past performance in the governance of this state for almost eight years now. Edo State is the first state being the heartbeat of Nigeria to produce a labour as a Chief executive of any state in Nigeria. Before his ascension as Governor, labour leaders were only referred to as workers and not referred to as good managers.

“He has proved beyond reasonable doubt that labour leaders are the best managers in governance.

“A trip around the eighteen local government areas of the state shows a wider spread of people-oriented projects, executed and being executed by his government.”

Why Ize-Iyamu is the man — CRPP

The state chapter of the Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) weekend endorsed the PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as its candidate for the Wednesday election, saying the state needs a governor that has the capability to lead the state to the promised land.

Announcing the endorsement at a press conference in Benin weekend, the state chairman of CRPP, Dr. Samson Isibor said the coalition took the decision to endorse Pastor Ize-Iyamu at its quarterly meeting.

He said: “Edo State needs a man that has the capacity to deliver the state from the present administration in the state and we believe Ize-Iyamu will be able to do this to alleviate the sufferings and poverty of the Edo masses.

“The youths, market women, workers and others are suffering in the state today because of the maladministration of the present government which led some of the unemployed   youths in various evil vices such as armed robbery, kidnappings, prostitution, cultism among others.

“It is uncharitable to say Edo is working and the question people are asking is which Edo is working because when Oshiomhole came in he met some of the establishments and parastatals working and at the dying minute of his administration none of them is working again with thousands of Edo people working in all these establishment including Edo Line and Bendel Brewery thrown into the unemployment market.

“We in the CRPP also have every reason to accuse Governor Oshiomhole of not only killing the industries he met in the state, but of failing to resuscitate the dying ones like Okpella Cement company but did not establish any one throughout his tenure.

“Oshiomhole’s administration also relegated   agriculture to the background with all the communal farms located in the various districts such as Usugbernu, Illushi, Sabongida, Igarra, Warake among others that use to generate employment to over 50,000 people were not only neglected but allowed to rot away”

“We in the CRPP therefore appeal to our members across the state and all Edo voters to cast their votes for Ize-Iyamu and the PDP so as to get freedom from the Motor park touts, the beneficiaries of Oshiomhole administration who smile to their banks daily with illegal levies and over taxation.”