Following the judicial pronouncement declaring him as the bona fide Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for Delta State in 2023, David Edevbie has declared that the judgement was victory for all Deltans.
In his reaction to the Thursday ruling by Federal High Court, Abuja, Edevbie stated that his action was to ensure that opposition parties don’t capitalise on the glaring deficiency to push PDP out of power in the state.
He said in a statement he personally signed that “To lead the transformation of a state as vast and diverse as Delta to its destiny, in terms of growth and development, requires a strong sense of purpose, faith, and the courage to keep leading even in moments of seeming disappointment.
“Clearly, it is not a task for the faint-hearted or pusillanimous. Fortunately, the required qualities and abilities are what I was primed for from the outset of my working career, both in the private and public sectors in Nigeria and abroad and the allure of a new lease of life, growth and happiness in Delta State provided the impetus.
“Undeniably, most Deltans received the outcome of the PDP Gubernatorial Primary with bewilderment and exasperation. To many, it appeared to be a wanton disregard of the interests of our Party and the mood of our nation.
“Propelled by the inevitable pall of gloom that hung over Delta State and faced with the real possibility that opposition parties would capitalise on the blindingly obvious situation, I was left with no alternative but to challenge the outcome in the law courts, albeit reluctantly.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that our faith was not misplaced. Nigeria’s justice system has spoken and rightly overturned the travesty in favour of the will of the majority of the people to restore our cherished values of hard work, integrity and honour.
“Let me be clear, this should not be seen as a personal victory but as a victory for our great Party, PDP, which is firmly rooted in justice. It is also a victory for democracy and therefore, it is now time to put our differences aside and work together as a family to ensure our success at the next general elections.”
He commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the leadership and elders of the PDP, “for their understanding and for effectively keeping the house together while managing the internal family contests.
“Delta State has always been a PDP State and by the grace of God, it will remain so after the next elections.”
Also commending his campaign team, Edevbie said, “We would not have come this far without your prayers, support and sacrifices, and I encourage you to continue to do your best.
“We must work together on the shared vision and goal of modernisation even as we embrace all those who either contested with us or supported other contestants. This is their victory too.
“Now that order has been restored, our PDP family is stronger and ready to defeat all opposition parties in Delta State in 2023.
“Consequently, I implore all our brothers and sisters, who became disillusioned and left PDP recently, to return to the fold. This is not the hill to die on.
“Let me end by noting that most things eventually yield to diligence and common sense. We must continue working hard in the dark to shine in the light as we propel our state to its glorious destiny.”
Justice Taiwo Taiwo on Thursday rules that Sheriff Oborevwori, who won the May 25 primaries should not have contested the election because he of the discrepancies in his certificates. He subsequently disqualified him and pronounced Edevbie, who came second, the authentic candidate.
Oborevwori has however indicated that he would appeal the judgement.
