Edo state Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to publicly declare that he will not work against the will of the people in the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in the state.

The Governor said this on Tuesday while receiving the 2011 Champions Man of the Year Award at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Ikeja Lagos.

Comrade Oshiomhole made the remark while reacting to reports by the former BOT member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, that with the support of the Presidency they will recapture Edo State.

The governor who is seeking another term in the July elections, urged the President to choose those he wants to serve either the rich to the detriment of the poor or vice versa.

Mr Oshiomhole called on President Goodluck Jonathan to publicly deny insinuations by some PDP leaders that he will work against the wishes of the PDP using the apparatus of the Presidency.

The former Secretary General of the Common Wealth Chief Emeka Anyaoku who chaired the occasion reiterated his call for true Federalism in Nigeria with the six geo-political zones as the Federating states.

Chief Emeka Anyaoku remarked that for Nigeria to make progress there has to be a drastic departure from the way things are run adding that Nigeria needs a leader with the character of Governor Adams Oshiomhole

No Obama-like

The President of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Peter Esele, who wass the guest speaker of the occasion, said Nigerians are the architects of their problems as they elect leaders based on ethnic and religious divide rather than people who show the competence to effectively take the nation out of its economic doldrums.

He added that it will be difficult for Nigeria to get an Obama-like president, a claim to which the Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola agreed with him. Mr Fashola however said he is convinced that Nigeria can get a President better than Obama as the people’s psyche is adjusting for the better.

Comrade Oshiomhole said the success being celebrated in Edo State today is due to the free hand given him by the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and their support to his bold challenge against the godfathers who had tried to entrench unproductivity to his government at the inception of his administration.

He noted that every leader must choose who they will serve and dedicated the award to Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, his private secretary, who was killed about two weeks ago in his house by unknown gunmen.