2015: PDP Can’t Stop Me From Contesting Vice Presidency – Oshiomhole

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has accused the peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of resorting to what he called “politics of intimidation” in order to distablise the state ahead of the 2015 general elections. The governor who spoke to journalists after the council of state meeting held at the Presidential Villa noted that the PDP ended up revealing their true intent when the party said he was nursing the ambition of contesting the vice presidency. He noted that even if he decides to contest for the presidency, the PDP cannot intimidate him, adding that he has the right to do so if he was convinced. He said, “And as you read one Metuhsella or Olisa Metuh or by whatever name he is called; he was reported as saying that I am destabilising Edo State because I want to contest for Vice Presidency. Now, that is standing logic upsidedown. If I want to contest the vice presidency, do I need to distablise the government that I currently head? So, they have let the cat out, meaning that they are afraid for their own rumoured ambition that I want to contest vice presidency. “So, the point I want to make is that, if I decide even to contest for the Presidency, PDP cannot intimidate me. I have a right to do so if it is my conviction. It is unfortunate that some people want to put their individual interest above national interest. I cannot be intimidated… “I’m firmly on ground and there is nothing to worry about. Now what is my position? Simple! Without state instrument on the streets of this city of Abuja we confronted the powers that be. We confront people who occupied this villa from 1999 to 2007. I did along with my colleagues; across the 36 states we did. So, I am not a coward that can be intimidated.” Stressing that the PDP is using blackmail to destabilise Edo ahead of 2015, the Governor said: “One thing is that election is coming in 2015 and we have defeated PDP consistently since 2009 that I assume office. Every By election they lost. The last National Assembly election we defeated them in the whole of Edo South which is about 51 per cent of the population, we defeated them in Edo North which is about 33 per cent of the population, we defeated them in Edo Central which accounts for about 17 per cent of the population. “In my own election in all that they boasted that they were going to do, I defeated them in all the 18 local government areas including the local government of the PDP godfather. And so what they are trying to do now is that having lost the election, having been rejected by the Edo people and knowing that another election is coming, they want to distablise the state, intimidate my person. “You have some people who believe that because they are members of the PDP they are above the law and they want to celebrate the culture of impunity. But I am a product of struggle all my life I’m used to people who think that they are much more than what they are. And my own life history tells me that only the man on the side of truth is on the side of God and only that could survive.” On the issue involving the four PDP members of the Edo House of Assembly, Oshiomole said it was on their own that they went to court asking the Federal High Court to ask the Speaker not to declare their seats vacant, but when the table turned against them, they started treating the court with disdain. “I’m sure you have seen on the news channel that they boastfully said they will not obey the court order, in fact they described the court ‎order as useless. And when they bailiff went to serve them the contempt paper they harassed and abuse the hell out of the bailiff. Which means these guys because they are members of the PDP believe they are above the law, they are above the court and that court orders are not meant to be obeyed.”