The President, Godsent Foundation, Dr. Dion Osagie says he is canvassing votes for Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Edo State governorship election because himself and the Senator share the same vision.

The founder, Godsent Foundation added that the vision and mission of his foundation is to uplift the downtrodden in the society, which he said Sen. Okpebholo too shares going by his deeds to mankind.

Dion, who spoke at his Uwelu free education centre in Benin where hundreds of women gathered to receive one assistant or the other, noted that though his non-profit organisation has not received any support from the Edo State government for over a decade that it has been giving support to the needy, if Okpebholo becomes governor, he would be of help to the foundation because he loves charity too.

READ ALSO: Edo Poll: APC, Govt Clash Over Boycott Of Peace Accord

Dion, who said with the support of over 1000 women his foundation had touched, they are ready to vote out MoU government and a government that does not care about the common, noted: “You have to support a government that has the same vision as you. Senator Monday Okpebholo has the same vision as the Godsent Foundation – uplifting the poor.

Dr. Dion Osagie addressing women at his Godsent Free Education Centre, Uwelu,Benin City on Friday, September 13, 2024.

“He is not governor yet but because he has the same vision as me, when he came to the US he looked for me and acknowledged my good work. this is a man I want to work with.

“I firmly believe that if Okpebholo becomes governor, he will give us the needed support for us to do more of our philanthropic work. Edo women will smile and there will be less insecurity in Edo.

READ ALSO: Tragedy In Edo, Many Feared Dead As Commercial Bus Plunged Into Ovia River

“So, we are ready to vote out a government who does not feel the pains of women; we are ready to vote out a government who cannot solve insecurity; we are ready to bring in a governor who will listen to the cries of Edo people; we are ready to vote in Monday Okpebholo and Dennis Idahosa for development.

“We are doing this to make our women know that this time, Edo needs to rise,” he declared.

Speaking on his free primary education, the President said: “Currently, we have been able to take over 200 children from the streets and enroll them in our school. This is a free education. Everything we offer here is free of charge. I believe that education is the key to a better life and that is why we have set up a free primary education centre to better the lives of Edo children.”

READ ALSO: Edo Poll: Mercy Johnson Under Fire For Campaigning For APC’s Okpebholo

At the meeting, hundreds of women were given cash gifts, cash to start business, jobs in his free education centre, amongst others.

One of the beneficiaries at the meeting, Mrs. Justina Reuben spoke in Pidgin: “My husband na driver and me na neater. I neat clothes, I also sew. We have three children. My husband use his motor take get accident, since then things don dey difficult. Our house rent don almost expire, and landlord dey threaten us. But today I come here, and he (Dion) don promise to pay our house rent and also give me job in this school. I am very happy. God will bless him.”

Another beneficiary, Faith Ominike said: “I am very happy because my dream has come through. I needed money to start a fish business and I have been promised N100,000 to start my fish business. God bless him.”

The All Progressives Congress on Friday stated that it welcomes Governor Godwin Obaseki’s decision to boycott the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.

Director of Media for the Edo APC Campaign Council, Kassim Afegbua, made this known in a statement, expressing hope that the governor’s decision would work against him.

The statement read, “We have just been informed that Governor Obaseki has threatened to boycott next Saturday’s gubernatorial election unless the State Commissioner of Police and the Resident Electoral Commissioner are removed from office.

“These demands by Governor Obaseki are rogue, ludicrous, ridiculous, self-serving, egocentric, and palpably insulting to the good people of Edo State.

“It is laughable that Governor Obaseki, who is not a candidate in this election, is attempting to dictate the terms of the election. He is trying to be clever by half, believing he can choose his referee in a contest where his godson, Asue Ighodalo, is a candidate.

READ ALSO: [JUST IN] Edo Poll: Drama As PDP Declines Signing Of Peace Accord

“We wish to state unequivocally that the people of Edo have full confidence in the Resident Electoral Commissioner, as well as the Commissioner of Police.

“Both officers have been working diligently to ensure the September 21 election is hitch-free, fair, and credible. We commend them for their efforts so far and for withstanding Governor Obaseki’s attempts to influence them to serve his selfish interests.

“Obaseki’s latest threat stems from frustration. He appears to have forgotten the meaning of ‘NO,’ hence his threats to withdraw.

“We also commend the Inspector General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun, for the bold decision to disband the Edo Security Network, which had been operating like a rogue squad in the state. We are committed to a peaceful, free, and fair election.

“We welcome the PDP’s planned boycott of the September 21 gubernatorial election and hope it counts against them. We urge all our members to remain calm and confident as we look forward to victory for the APC.

READ ALSO: Reps Postpone Resumption From Annual Vacation

“Governor Obaseki and his godson are simply trying to create self-serving rules for themselves. Elections are not a do-or-die affair, but a process of selecting who will move Edo State forward.

“We are confident of victory in both the election and governance. Should Obaseki and his party, the PDP, backtrack on their boycott threat, we will conclude that they are simply failed politicians, attempting to salvage their situation.”

Responding, Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser on Media Projects to the governor, said Afegbua’s comments made him sound like the mouthpiece of the police, and his stance confirmed a wilful collusion.

He stated, “The Edo State Government has noted the childish and infantile attempts by the Director of Media of the Edo APC Campaign Council, Kassim Afegbua, to misinterpret the events of September 12 regarding the signing of the Peace Accord ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.

“It is perplexing that Afegbua is now standing in for the Nigerian Police, claiming that the Peoples Democratic Party has boycotted the September 21 election in Edo State.

READ ALSO: Why We Can’t Implement New Minimum Wage Now – Delta Govt

“It is curious that Afegbua would descend to such a low level to carelessly interpret the Peace Accord signing, organised by the National Peace Committee led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, in Benin City, as an act of election boycott.

“We clarify that the PDP did not boycott the election, but rather refrained from signing the Peace Accord until the conditions we put forward for ensuring a level playing field were met. This is a reasonable request under the circumstances.

“For anyone still in doubt, why is the Inspector General of Police suddenly rushing to charge individuals his office has held in custody for nearly two months, following our refusal to sign the Peace Accord?

“Afegbua’s comments indicate that the APC is in collusion with the police. His commendation of the Police Chief confirms the APC’s and the Police’s sinister plans for the election.

“We reiterate our position that the IGP and his ‘Rogue Contingent’ are playing out the APC’s script to use ‘Federal Might’ to manipulate the election. This must be resisted by the people of Edo State on September 21.

“Only a level playing field for all participants in the election will ensure justice for the people of Edo State as we approach the polls.”

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has vowed not to support Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, in his political life again.

Wike stated this during an appearance on Channels Television on Friday.

He said, “I will never support Fubara in my political life again. Anybody knows me, it’s not about me. People laboured to put up a structure.

“People laboured; you wouldn’t have even taken the 50th position. I sacrificed to talk to the Ogonis; I sacrificed to talk to several other people who let us go this way.

READ ALSO: Ijaw Nation Vows To Protect Fubara’s Government From ‘Strangers

“You turned it that I am asking for N50 billion, N100 billion. You turned up lies against me; I brought you up and put you here. Today, I turned out to be overdemanding.

“What is Wike demanding? In every politics or political family, you run elections under people, and people work together. We must have to keep our political structure.”

Wike also denied his rift with the governor is causing a setback for the development of Rivers State.

“What is causing the setback? Wike asked. I’m not interfering with governance. I don’t want to be there. I had no crisis with anybody in the country as a governor. I survived it. If you don’t want to take leadership position, you don’t want to. That’s the truth about it.”