A one-time Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon David Iyoha has led his teeming supporters and other leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Esan Central and Esan West Local Government Areas of Edo State to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Rt. Hon Iyoha who was received by Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the Speaker of State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Victor Edoror among other APC leaders at the Government House, last weekend, said his defection to the APC is his new year gift to the APC prompted by the good governance provided by the Governor.
He said: “Your Excellency, you have changed the face of Edo State. You have become the symbol of good governance, not only in Edo State, but across the country, and even beyond. We are very proud of you.
“It is because of your performance that made the people of Esan Central, the leaders, the youth leaders, women leaders, and the key leaders from Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State, and of course, my brothers too from Esan West; we have come to intimate you of our resolve to change our political platform from PDP to APC. We have also resolved to key into the continuity agenda of APC in Edo State. We are proud of you; we are behind you. Your Excellency, this is a new year gift.”
An elated Governor Oshiomhole who received the decampees thanked them for re-aligning with the progressive forces, promising that his government would continue deliver the dividends of progress to our State.
He said: “I am aware, at the eve of the last election, people were being offered fake appointments, board letter papers which they knew were not true. And from the revelation you can hear now, while many of you, particularly youths were fighting, many of you getting injured, your fellow youths across party divide, and you leaders were mobilizing, speaking to community leaders, women, et cetera, some of the same PDP leaders were in Abuja sharing billions of naira.”
He maintained that “the best way to serve the people is to put structures on ground. When we build schools, everybody will attend, year after year, over time, every child from every home will benefit from those schools. When we sited water at Ekpoma, I don’t know how many people have drank from it. I am sure we cannot count the number. We also sited water in Iruekpen. The last time I was there, the only thing they complained was when there was no light to power the generator to pump out the water. When it comes out, it’s white and clean. Nobody can count the number of people have drank the water.
“And these areas we have been told that for many years, that in Esan land the terrain is so bad, that you could not get water there. Even at Igueben, I think we have two boreholes that are delivering clean water to Igueben, including the one in the primary school.
“You know the Speaker commanded me to carry the rig to Esan Central, and I am sure quite a number of boreholes are working there. I am sure you would also have noticed that we are rebuilding a school in Ugbegun which we intend to name after the late Professor Iyayi.”
“My joy that compensates for my stress is the joy that I see on the faces of people, who can see what we have changed in their lives, and what government has done that has impacted on the lives of their children. I think just before Christmas, a number of persons from Esan Central came here with truck loads of yams. Their joy is that for many years, over the past thirty, forty years, some of the villages that we have constructed roads, they could not take their farm produce to the market. Now with the road we have done, they told me on market days, the place is so crowded.”
He continued: “So, I want to assure you that we will continue to put our people first, and I am looking forward to coming to Irrua, or anywhere in Esan Central to receive you and your youths. I know you are here in representative capacity. The majority of the people are certainly not here, and also to come to Ekpoma to receive my comrades who are there. With you people coming now, there is really nobody that is really left in the PDP.”
“With their Jonathan, I won eighteen over eighteen, now with our Buhari, it can only be better. So, that ‘B’ means better. So, I want to thank you; I appreciate you coming to see me. I want to assure you that you will not be disappointed,” he said.
