Ahead of February 16 general election, the Ijaw communities in Edo State have forbidden the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from campaigning in their area.
This is coming on the hill of defection where many members of the opposition dumped their respective parties for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ovia South West Local Government Area.
The Ijaw communities namely: Ufunama, Ugbo, Inikorogha and Ajakurama, noted that for the 16 years of PDP reign, no development took places in their communities.
Speaking on Wednesday at Iguobaduwa, headquarters of the council area, ex-agitator, Robert Okubor, stressed that the only visible development in the area of education and provision of water was done by the Edo State Government.
Okubor, who spoke when the APC candidate for Ovia federal constituency, Mr. Dennis Idahosa, took his campaign to the communities, said the areas were in dire need of infrastructural development such as roads, electricity and healthcare.
According to him, “The only infrastructural developments these communities have ever enjoyed were provided by the Adams Oshiomhole-led APC government of the state.
“Those who came here to beg for votes to represent us at Abuja as Senator and House of Representatives members go there and forget all their promises. That is what the PDP representatives have done to us for 16 years.
“We forbid PDP from coming here to campaign again on this land. They came here with the pretence that they were here to install solar streets light only to end up campaigning.
“That will be their last on this land because they were not here when we were building hospitals, schools and empowering our women and youths.
“All the elections we have been involved in the past is just to help them to win, but this election is ours; it is Inikorogha election, and it is an election for the Ijaw people.
“We have tried the PDP for 16 years, and we also have 16 years to try APC.
“As for the aspiration of Dennis Idahosa, he is a young man we trust because he does what he says he would do. He has done a lot for the youths and women, even when not holding any political position.”
Meanwhile, no fewer than 3,000 key members of the PDP and Action Democratic Party (ADP) dumped their parties for the APC.
Endurance Eferusuoa and Guinea Newe, youth leaders of the PDP and ADP respectively, said they have for years been used by their respective parties.
Eferusuoa, who spoke for the people, said for 16 years, the future of the people, especially the youths, of Ufunama have been mortgaged for 16 years.
Both vowed that their people would work for the victory of the candidates of the APC in the state.
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