Sportsmen and women, including serving and retired athletes, as well as sports administrators have reaffirmed their support for the reelection of Governor Godwin Obaseki, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his deputy and running mate, Rt. Hon. Comr. Philip Shaibu.
At a solidarity rally held in Benin City to mobilise support for the reelection of the governor and his deputy, the sportsmen and women vowed to come out en masse on September 19, 2020 to vote for the PDP to express gratitude to the administration’s steady transformation of the sporting firmament in the state since 2016.
The elated sports enthusiasts commenced the solidarity rally from the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium into major roads and streets in the metropolis, including Akenzua Street, Plymouth Road, Ring Road, Akpakpava Street, Dawson Road, Mission Road and Airport Road, among other.
Leading the rally, Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Hon. Damian Lawani, said: “These are sportsmen and women in Edo State trying to showcase what Obaseki has done in sports development. The joy in them shows that apart from infrastructural development, sports in Edo State have been given special attention.
“That is why today, when you get to the stadium, all manners of sports from football, karate, lawn tennis, table tennis, swimming and Judo have been factored into the newly rebuilt Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, courtesy of Governor Obaseki. To appreciate the governor, we have all decided to vote for him to continue with his developmental projects in the state.”
On his part, Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission, Barr. Godwin Dudu-Orumen, noted: “Today, we are celebrating a man who has given sports in Edo State a new lease of life. This rally is in appreciation of what he has done for sports in Edo State. He has built an ultra modern Olympic-sized stadium with facilities comparable to what you will find anywhere in the world.
“The 20 mini-stadia which the Governor promised are being built while about seven or eight of the stadia are almost ready for use by schools and communities. There is no sporting event we cannot host in Edo State now as more investors are ready to invest in sports development,” he added.
The Deputy Governor, Shaibu, thanked the athletes, sports administrators and supporters for their show of love and support, reassuring that the Obaseki-led government will, in the second term, consolidate on gains recorded in its first four years.
Shaibu said: “We have used our first term to provide facilities; this is why we need a second term to put in the contents to be able to compete internationally. What are the contents? It is to train you to be international athletes and make you all world class champions.”
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