Obasanjo Wants to Steal My Ticket – Abiola-Edewor

Posted by admin Latest Politics Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Daughter of late Chief MKO Abiola and an aspirant for Ogun Central Senatorial District in Ogun State, Mrs.Lola Abiola-Edewor, has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of orchestrating the political feud with his daughter, Iyabo Bello-Obasanjo, who is also seeking re-election for the same seat under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In an interview she granted to a foreign online media, Mrs Abiola-Edewor said, “Obasanjo wants to give the ticket to his daughter even though she did not win the primaries.

“I won by 567 votes, Hon. Kayode Amusan polled 483 votes, Chief Derin Adebiyi, 361 votes, Mrs. Soremekun, 152 votes, Sola Rahman 15, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello and Hon. Saburi Aroyehun polled 3 votes each. When forms were made available Iyabo collected them. When candidates were told to submit themselves for screening, she did so. At the last minute, she read the writing on the wall and did not attend the Congress held by a body whose authority she had previously recognized. She stayed away while the other candidates spent the day working hard on the field.”

Edewor said Obasanjo wanted the party to award the ticket to his daughter who did not attend the elections, stating that she (Edewor) had worked hard for her victory.

“I don’t have a godfather to sign away the hardwork of others. I campaigned long and hard, across six local governments. President Goodluck Jonathan is demanding free and fair elections in 2011. This begins with credible party primaries. The actions of the Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees undermine this. I will fight to defend my mandate.”

She also said that the former President was the chief beneficiary of the struggle that led to her father’s death, saying, “Obasanjo was the biggest beneficiary of the June 12 annulment. Should he continue to push for his daughter to be given the senatorial ticket for Ogun Central, it would mean that he wants to continue to benefit from other people’s hard work. I cannot stand by and allow that injustice to be perpetuated.”

When I was in the House of Representatives, I believed that my work should speak for itself. I did not believe in going to the media to broadcast my efforts. I used to laugh at colleagues who called Press conferences for sinking one bore hole whereas I was writing Committee reports late into the night at home with no audience. From the start of my political career to date, I have never had a godfather. The fact that I have never lost an election, to the House of Representative, my re-election in 2003 and the Ogun Central primaries is a testament to the people I serve and their faith in my sincerity. For me, the point was and remains service and credibility, not making noise everywhere. I’m not judging others. Some people need to make a name for them. I have a name. What I want is to have a positive impact in the lives of my constituents. I felt and still feel that I would be most able to deliver the best service to the people of Ogun Central Senatorial District from the pan-Nigeria Party, PDP. My presence there adds to the progressive faction within the Party that has the most reach in Nigeria”.wp_posts