Oba of Benin calls for prayers for peace in Nigeria

From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has called on Nigerians to redouble their efforts in praying for the peace and development of the country.
The Oba made the call at the weekend in his palace in Benin, when he received the leadership and members of the National Campaign Council of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Sept. 19 Governorship election in Edo.
The team included National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus; governor of Rivers, Nysom Nwike who is Chairman of the Campaign Council; Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta; Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo and his Deputy, Philip Shuaibu; Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Senator Dino Melaye and other serving and former members of National Assembly under the platform of PDP.
The Benin monarch said that everyone in a position of trust needed the prayers and support of all, adding that God’s intervention was needed to overcome the challenges bedevilling Nigeria.
He said that his palace was non-partisan, promising that he would continue to champion anything that would guarantee total peace and overall development of Edo.
Oba Ewuare appealed to politicians and their supporters in the state to avoid acts capable of heating up the polity, affirming that politics was not a do-or-die affair.
Earlier, the governor of Edo and governorship candidate of the PDP, Obaseki, had told the monarch that the visit to his palace was to seek royal blessing and to formally intimate him of his desire to govern the state for another four years.
He promised to build on his achievements in the last four years if given another tenure by Edo people.
In their separate remarks, Uche Secondus and Wike said that the party was very happy with the reign of Oba in the Benin Kingdom, and urged him to continue to be a father to all.
They assured him that the party would also be in his palace to appreciate him after its victory at the Sept.19 poll, stressing that the party would work for accelerated transformation of Edo.