The Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media Projects, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, on Monday, commended Edo people for coming out en masse to vote and ensure victory for the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in last Saturday’s House of Assembly elections in the state, reassuring that the governor will appreciate the people for their efforts, resilience and sacrifice with more infrastructural projects across the state.

Osagie said this during a live session held at the journalists’ situation room, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat, Benin City, which was anchored by the association’s chairman, Festus Alenkhe, and Adesuwa Ehimuan, Chairperson, Edo State Council of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).

According to him, “The March 18 House of Assembly election was more representative of what the people voted and we thank Edo people for rising above the noise and propaganda and coming out en masse to vote for PDP and protecting their governor who cares about them and works for them night and day. He may not talk too much but they know he is working for them.

“The sinister motive of the All Progressives Congress (APC) coming into the election was to come and remove the governor and that is such an irresponsible reason for contesting an election. How can you be trying to be a lawmaker just because you are planning a vendetta?

“We are very confident the PDP will have control of the house of assembly. We believe that we will have not less than 15/16 seats which is a comfortable majority and we will be able to conduct our affairs in a seamless way and allow the governor to focus on his work.

“We are full throttle ahead. The governor will show his appreciation to Edo people who rose to his defense and provided a guarantee on his mandate, not just in words but action and ensure he does not betray their trust and belief,” he reassured.

The governor’s media aide continued: This governor has only one instrument to play politics - good governance - by working which has been his winning formula, unlike others who use violence, thuggery, harassment, bribery, inducements, etc.

“That's what you are going to be seeing in the next few months including road construction works continuing, infrastructure development continuing, enhancement of business environment intensified, new hotels spring up, new power companies set up as the federal government has made it now possible for the state government to do so, more tertiary institutions come on stream with massive recruitments, repositioning of state universities, and lots more."

Decrying the manipulations during the Presidential and National Assembly elections, Osagie further charged the electoral body, "In the future, INEC should practice what they preach and make it known if things will not work. They should be more responsible as their action has damaged the confidence of the average Nigerian voter and might even make some people lose interest in voting for a long time.

"Also, INEC should deal with electoral violence especially and ensure that all the technology to be deployed for election works as expected. Only with this will politicians choose to appeal to the hearts of the electorate if they desire to win rather than using violence, thuggery, and other vices to win.”

He added, "I want to encourage the young ones not to give up but double up to rescue the country. Gear up so that they will no longer take you for granted and to the newly elected legislators, I believe you understand that what it means to be in the legislature is to make laws for the people. As you go into the hallowed chambers, you must remember that it is the people that put you there. For every step you take, you must consider the people who put you there."