BENIN CITY – A fiery catholic priest in Edo State, Rev. Fr. Andrew Obinyan of St. Francis Catholic Church, Benin City may have succumbed to calls and agitations as he on Monday declared to contest for the governorship election of the State.
Although he did not declare the party on which he would contest, he said that after many calls and pressure from well-meaning Edo people and Nigerians, he was ready to contest the election.
He disclosed this when he visited the secretariat of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Benin City.
According to him, “I received series of calls from well meaning Edo people and Nigerians across party lines beckoning on me to contest the forthcoming governorship election in our dear state. “After very extensive consultation and consideration, I am please to inform you that I am giving Edo people and members of the movement an affirmative nod.
“And that means I have considered it, and I am very much available and ready to serve.
“As a priest, I am trained and equipped to serve and not to be served.,” Fr. Obinyan added.
Also speaking, Sir Jude Aigbona who is leading the Rev. Fr. Obinyan Movement, said after being governed by politicians and technocrats, Edo people should give the priest a chance to govern the state, adding that Rev. Fr. Obinyan is a tested and trusted servant.
He called on the youths in the state to embark on a mass movement for Obinyan and that with the Catholic Priest, the state would experience “a total turn around like a new creature.
“We intend to run a mass movement, a movement that will reshape Edo State; a movement that will give us a new hope in Edo State.
“Edo had seen it all. We have seen technocrats rule us, we have seen politicians rule us, so let’s us try a man of God. A man who is ready to serve us wholeheartedly so that Edo will be a new state; a new creature that other states will want to emulate.”
Another member of the movement, Basil Ogwu, said: “This movement cuts across all party lines. We didn’t just come up just to support him, but after much consultation, we discovered that he is credible. We have tried different kinds of people, but this time around, we want to give it to a religious leader.