Benin Esogban predicts victory for Tinubu; TAG, PRIFGLA inaugurate Edo chapter executives

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

Ahead of the 2023 presidential elections, the Esogban of Benin Kingdom, Dr David Edebiri, has said that whoever will succeed President Muhammadu Buhari is someone who must have laboured for it in the past.

The 93-year-old monarch stated this on Thursday when members of The Asiwaju Group, TAG, and the Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability, (PRIFGLA), paid him a courtesy visit in Benin City, Edo State.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) support groups were led by the South-South Coordinator of TAG, Chief Reuben Wilson, who doubles as the founder of PRIFGLA, as they visited the ancient kingdom for the inauguration of the Edo State executives.

While seeking the prayers and blessings of the nonagenarian to be able to succeed in their task of delivering Tinubu and other candidates of the All APC, in the state in 2023, Wilson and his team were taken down memory lane of the many achievements of the former Lagos State Governor.

Edebiri, who is the number two man in Benin Kingdom, insisted that winning presidential elections goes beyond mere aspirations, but having a track record of excellent performance from previous positions of trust held.

While predicting the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, he said that only a man with exceptional performance will take over from Buhari, saying that he sees such qualities in the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu.

According to him, “Many candidates come here to seek my prayers and blessing, and I pray for them, but there are some others that I continue to pray for whether they come here or not and Tinubu is one of them.”

He said that Tinubu, by his track records while serving as governor of Lagos State, merits the office of president which he is vying for, saying that he has a greater chance of winning the election.

He said that many of those currently gunning for the presidency was not able to deliver the deliverables of good governance to their constituents when they were privileged to serve them and maintained that such persons cannot be entrusted with the onerous task of leading a great nation like Nigeria.

Earlier, Wilson, who was treated to a royal welcome, gave reasons why he is supporting Tinubu.

According to him, none of the top three contenders can match the achievements of Tinubu in Lagos State.

Reuben stated that many Nigerians and foreigners are trooping into Lagos today because of the 25-year developmental master plan that Tinubu and his team unveiled in Lagos while serving as governor.

He said he was glad to have been welcomed by the number two man in the Benin Kingdom, saying that the prayers of the Esogban have sealed Tinubu’s victory for them in 2023.

At the inauguration of the Edo State executives of The Asiwaju Group and the Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability, Reuben Wilson urged those to champion the Tinubu cause to be hardworking and committed.

According to him, “5 out of the 6 states of the South-South geopolitical zone are controlled by the PDP and this means we have a lot of work to do. We must go to the units, wards and the local government areas – door-to-door with the Asiwaju message.”

Also speaking, former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Pius Odubu, urged Nigerians not to listen to the baseless campaigns against the former Lagos State governor, insisting that he remains the best.

According to him,” Because they have nothing bad to say about our man, they are saying he’s too old, but you don’t buy wisdom. Tinubu is a man of ideas, and they say what the human mind can conceive, he can achieve.

“Before you do anything, you must have the capacity to first develop those ideas. Look at Lagos for Christ’s sake, Tinubu laid the foundation for everything you’re seeing today.”

He assured Nigerians that a vote for Tinubu is the wisest choice and enjoined all to vote for the APC presidential candidate.

Also speaking, the national woman leader of PRIFGLA, Pst. Esther Martins, and the South-South Woman Leader of TAG, Dr Imaobong Obiosio Okon, maintained that going by track records, Tinubu does not have any contender.

They noted that they will mobilize as many women as possible who will join them in campaigning for Tinubu and other APC candidates from door to door.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the inauguration, the Edo State Coordinator of PRIFGLA, Osaro, vowed not to betray the confidence reposed in him.

He also assured Bola Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC of 100% victory in Edo.

The programme which took place at the Civic Centre in Benin, the Edo State capital recorded massive attendance.