…says it’s people, before politics
...launches Edo Feeding Programme for Muslims
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has pledged to continue to prioritize the needs, interests and aspirations of the majority of Edo people over partisan interests, reassuring that his government will not sacrifice the welfare and wellbeing of the people on the altar of politics.
Obaseki, who noted that politics must always be about serving the people, stated that the welfare and well-being of citizens must never be compromised for political expediency.
Governor Obaseki made the remarks when he visited the Edo State Muslims Pilgrim Welfare Board to bid farewell to intending pilgrims for the 2024 Hajj and launch of the Edo State Food Feeding Programme for Muslim faithful, at the Muslim Hajj Camp, in Benin City, the Edo State Capital.
Obaseki said, “It’s about the interest of the large majority of our people. Good cannot reconcile with evil, but we will try and continue to convince those people who enjoy seeing our people miserable; who enjoy seeing misery in the land and who want to keep so much to themselves and leave the rest of our people poor and in penury.
“It will be hard to reconcile with those kinds of people but we will continue to pray and as you go, pray that they have a change of mind. We cannot continue to live in a society like this where so many people have nothing and a few have so much and want to continue to have so much more.
“That is why I am here today to also launch the feeding programme for Muslims in Edo State. We have done the same for our Christian faithful.”
He continued: “Fortunately, Islam mandates us to take care of the needy and continue to give arms; it is part of the doctrine. So, what we are doing is nothing new but what is different this time is that this feeding programme is for us to look at those who do not have at all.
“Those that cannot reach the government, they come to the mosque to look for help. There are even some who will not even want to pass through the humiliating experience, they prefer to stay in their houses. It's for us to go and look for those people and give them this so that they can feed because they are not the ones that have created the unfortunate situation that we find ourselves in Nigeria.
“That is why, as a government and as your Governor, I will continue to sacrifice for my people. Let them continue to fight me; let them call me names, I will not give them access to the Edo people’s purse.”
Obaseki added, “That is why I said I will buy food every month, at least for the next three months and look for those that cannot eat in Edo State to support them. We have decided to give these foods to our religious leaders, our Imans and Pastors to go and look for those vulnerable people and give them food.”
While bidding farewell to the intending pilgrims for the 2024 Hajj, the governor commended the Muslim faithful for their continuous support and prayers, leading to the successes recorded by his administration across the various sectors of the State’s economy over the past seven and a half years.
“We are here to bid you farewell as you go for this year's Hajj. It also offers me the opportunity to thank you for the support and the prayers that you have always offered me. By the grace of God, this will be my last session with you intending Pilgrims as the Governor of Edo state, but God knows that the person who will replace me will continue in this tradition.
“I will advise that person to continue because the prayers that all of you continue to render especially when you go to the holy land have been largely responsible for seeing me through all the challenges. I will like him to enjoy those prayers from you too. You have helped me greatly to maintain peace and order in Edo State. We know the sort of religious challenges and crises in many States in this country.
“We have had our experiences in Edo but all of you came out to help me maintain peace and order even in spite of aggression against you sometimes. I cannot thank you enough. As I leave you as Governor, I want to let you know that I will always be with you.”
Reeling some gains of his administration's reforms across various sectors of the State, Obaseki further stated, “What we have done here in the last seven years is because we believe that Edo is one. Whether you are a Muslim or non-Muslim, it does not matter, and as your Governor, I have the responsibility for you and that is what we have tried to demonstrate that as long as you are an Edo man or woman, it doesn't matter the religion you practice.”
While urging them to come out en masse to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo in the forthcoming gubernatorial election to sustain the success so far recorded in the State by his administration, Governor Obaseki said, “I want to also point out, yes, we cannot all be apolitical. We must know that this is a democracy and what is important is you are going to sell your idea, convincing the electorate to see why your own idea is superior.
“What we have done in the last seven years is to show that our ideas are superior in the ways we have organized Edo from where we met it. The question is, have we done better than what we met? If we have done better, do you want it to continue? If you want it to continue, then you know what to do at the end of the day.”
Earlier in his remarks, Edo State Chairman of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Sheikh Ibrahim Oyarekua, applauded the governor for the continuous support to the Muslim faithful in the State in the last seven and a half years.