As the Governorship election approaches on the 21st September 2024, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki said it would be difficult for him to forgive those who have offended him in the course of his governance. This statement was made when the Governor visited the Edo State Muslims pilgrim welfare Board to bid farewell to intending pilgrims for the 2024 Hajj and the launching of the feed the vulnerable programme organized by the state government for Muslims in Benin City.
This remarks were sequel to an appeal made by Sheik Ibrahim Oyarekhua, the State Chairman of Muslims Pilgrim Welfare Board, who urged Governor Obaseki to reconcile with those who have offended him as well as those he offended in the cause of his governace with a view to winning the election. Responding to Sheik Ibrahim, Governor Obaseki who said good can’t reconcile with evil, opined that there was no way one can convince evil to be good. According to him, “We can’t continue to convince those evil who would enjoy seeing our people miserable, who want to keep so much for themselves and leave the rest of our people poor.” He also said, It would be hard to reconcile with these people.
As you are going on Hajj, you pray for them to have a change of heart. We can’t continue to live in a society where so many people live with nothing while few have so much and continue to have so much. That is why I make sacrifices. Let them continue to fight me, call me names, but they will not touch the money, and I will use the money to buy food and feed the poor, give them to Imams and pastors to share for the poor in the next three months,”.
Furthermore, Governor Godwin Obaseki, said that for the good things to continue, the people have to ensure that his chosen successor, Asue Ighodaro, the governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, who will continue where he stopped, wins the upcoming governorship election. Earlier, Sheik Ibrahim posited that as clerics, they have the ability to tell the truth to those who occupy the position of leadership to strengthen and reshape our system and the country. So, My appeal to your Excellency is to try as much as possible to reconcile with people who have offended you and those you have offended in the cause of your duties as governor.
Try as much as possible to reconcile with them because tomorrow is pregnant.
“Just do this for us, yourself, and the candidate you are projecting to the people for the election. This will go a long way in assisting your candidate in winning this election without stress. I am saying this because in the case of office, some persons may not be able to understand you or you may not be able to understand them, and at the end, you may offend them or they may offend you,”
he stated. Oyarekhua, who said there is wisdom and togetherness in reconciliation, opined that the more we are, the better for us because politics is a game of numbers.
