Tony Azeigbemi is the Peoples Democratic Party chairman in Edo State. In this interview, he speaks his party’s chances of winning the election, and how they will carry out the campaign, among other sundry issues.
What do you think will work for your party in the September 19 governorship election?
The PDP has a lot to tell the electorate. We have a governorship candidate who has done creditably well and has over 300 projects, and very soon we will start commissioning. The PDP knows how to harness both human and material resources for optimal result. We are not like the other party that has nothing but fight in their DNA. We are a people-oriented party; Edo people have pitched tent with us and we are very ready for the election.
How are you conducting your campaign in view of the COVID-19 Protocol?
Basically, we are not going to breach the law of the land but rather we will adhere to the COVID-19 protocols. It says we should not be more than 50 persons in a place and we will obey that. We are going to use ingenious ways to get our messages to the electorate. You are not going to see massive rallies as it used to be but we are going to reach the electorate in the cities and villages and talk to them face to face in line with COVID-19 rules and regulations. So, we are not going to breach the law of the land but we are going to carry our message across to the people through town cries, getting people to knock on people’s doors, which we called mosquito or Jehovah Witness campaign, but the message would be very clear. And the message is ‘give PDP the opportunity to take Edo State to next level’.
In 2016, Godwin Obaseki was the APC candidate and the PDP called him names. Now, he is your candidate. What has changed?
Nothing has really changed, human beings are still the same but the things we said then were based on what we knew and the things we are saying now is also based on what we know now that we didn’t know then, so it was the quantum of information we had then and the quantum of information we have now that determines what we say. There is nothing strange or wrong in that. If you see discrepancies, it’s not because we are changing, it is because the information we have now is much more that what we had before.
What endeared Obaseki to the PDP family to make him the flag bearer?
It was his choice; he analysed the political parties and felt that the PDP was the best choice and we are happy that he took that decision and chose the PDP. And we are also happy that he is flying our flag.
Political observers are saying that voters are being taken for a ride hence the swapping of 2016 candidates of both parties. What is your take on this?
I don’t think the voters are being taken for granted; situations throw up people. The situation in 2016 threw up people in two different parties and the situation now also did the same. No single person can say he/she made this happen. When situation does what it needs to do and the people pop up, there is nothing any one can do about it. So, I don’t think the electorate is being taken for granted, it is the system that threw up these people on the opposite sides now. On our side, we are happy now that the governor is with us and flying our flag.
When Obaseki joined the PDP, the ruling party said PDP collected billions of naira from him to make him candidate. What is your reaction to this?
It is nonsensical and not worthy of a comment to say that the governor spent billions of naira on the PDP leadership. I met the governor three days before he decamped and there was no issue of money exchanging hands, and it is even demeaning to expect PDP leaders to take money from Obaseki. In any case, if they say he wasn’t spending money in the APC which was why they were fighting him, what now made them think he will spend money in the PDP? I think the governor is who he is – a very prudent person who doesn’t throw money all over the places like his predecessor. The issue of money is a wicked falsehood that doesn’t need any comment.
Why do you think the electorate should vote for the PDP?
The difference is very clear and the PDP is the best option. The APC has ruined the nation, including Edo State. The PDP is the only viable option now and it is the only party that can manage resources for optimal results. People are angry because there is no electricity, inflation rate is high, unemployment rate very high, GDP has fallen and every thing that is supposed to go up is going down and vice versa. So, why should the people hang out with the APC? Clearly, the PDP is the only viable option. We will take this message to the electorate and hope that they vote for us and we promise that we will do much better than the APC because there will be no antagonism between the governor and the PDP members, there will be harmonious relationship between the PDP and the governor.
So, what are you holding onto in your campaign?
We hold on to former Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s 2016 campaign against his opponent to our own advantage.
