The senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Osun East Senatorial District, Prince Francis Ade Fadahunsi has reiterated his confidence in coming out victorious at the polls.
Fadahunsi, a retired deputy comptroller general of customs, disclosed this while fielding questions on the implications of the postponement of election dates by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from 14th and 28th of February to March 28th and April 11th.
According to him, the shift in election dates will only enhance the efficiency of INEC and allow them tie all the loose ends in their preparation.
The former coordinator of the West African Anti Smuggling Task Force said apart from giving INEC more time for preparation, the shift will equally give politicians more opportunity to convince prospective voters.
“I have been following events and the reactions of people concerning the postponement of the elections from their originally scheduled dates and I feel most of the people that have been trying to crucify INEC and the government of the day are not being sincere.
“We all know that there are issues with INEC’s preparation, especially with the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards. Are they trying to say that is not genuine enough reason for a shift in date when millions of registered voters will be disenfranchised? Or are the concerns raised by the NSA and the security agencies concerning the security situation in parts of the North East not cogent enough? Or the people in that part of the country are not Nigerians that are entitled to participate in the process of electing their leaders?
“It is unfortunate that people, especially the opposition All Progressive Congress, love to play to the gallery and read sinister motives even to the best of intentions. If they will be sincere, the shift gives them more opportunity to reach out to the electorate, further sell their manifestoes and woo people to their side. I am of the view that the shift is a blessing in disguise and that I am prepared to take the best use of. I am not one of those who cry foul at everything because I know I will win the election whenever it is held”, Fadahunsi said.
Reacting to the implications of the recent affirmation of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the validly elected governor of Osun State in the August 9 governorship election in the state by the Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal on the electoral fortunes of the PDP in the coming elections, Fadahunsi said the judgement is nothing but a momentary setback that will have no effect on the electorate who have made up their minds to change the bad representation the people of Osun has witnessed in the last four years.
“Aregbesola’s victory at the tribunal is just a minor setback. It does not have any effect on the people because they are tired of the kind of representation they have been getting from the current crop of lawmakers both at the National Assembly and the state House of Assembly. They are yearning for quality and life impacting representation and they know we can give them that. We have done that in our private capacities by touching their lives variously. If we are given the opportunity to represent them officially, they know we will do much more”, he affirmed.
Fadahunsi, however, called on members and supporters of the PDP to remain steadfast and keep hope alive, because “there is light at the end of the tunnel”. .
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