- Ighodalo is Esan consensus candidate, says ex-minister
Members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stormed the Ubiaja Township Stadium, Esan Southeast Local Government Area of Edo State, yesterday, to kick off the party’s governorship campaign in a grand style.
Led by Governor Godwin Obaseki, the fully packed stadium was in a carnival mood as party chieftains and supporters converged at the venue to show their solidarity for their candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
Obaseki made it clear that his choice of a successor is someone who can “anchor the relay race successfully to victory”.
He said he had known Ighodalo for 40 years from his university days. He also insisted that the PDP flag bearer joined the race because of his love and compassion for the people and not because he was looking for money, fame or name. “He has all of those,” he said.
Obaseki added: “He won’t disappoint you; the same thing goes for Osarodion Ogie. When I came into government, our first budget was less than N100 billion. But we moved it to N450 billion. Ighodalo and Osarodion will move it to N1 trillion to have enough money to execute projects.”
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The governor also encouraged all the attendees to go back and canvass support for Ighodalo and to come out on the day of the election and vote for the PDP.
Ighodalo thanked the people for the love they have shown him. He promised to ensure the security and safety of lives and property as governor. He also elaborated on a series of things outlined in ‘The Pathway to Prosperity for All’ manifesto. Chief Tom Ikimi, addressing the people stated that everyone who had worked assiduously for the Esan Agenda must be very happy that the flag-off happened in Esan land. He appealed to all the royal fathers to support Ighodalo as “he is the Esan consensus candidate for the governorship election”. Obaseki’s wife Lady Betsy declared that the time in Edo State is “Esan O’clock”.
The governor’s wife highlighted that the PDP has respect for women and so has appointed or elected them into very good positions. We (women) have a deputy speaker, we have local government chairmen, and we have deputy local government chairmen. We have commissioners and all. The PDP respects women.”