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  • Edo 2024: PDP’s Ighodalo has capacity to govern successfully, says Nwaokobia

    Edo 2024: PDP’s Ighodalo has capacity to govern successfully, says Nwaokobia

    As the 2024 Edo State governorship election draws near, Prof. Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr., convener of the Country First Movement, has shared his perspective on the candidates, characterizing the race as both fascinating and predictable.

    Nwaokobia, a vocal advocate for good governance, emphasized the distinct nature of the upcoming election, suggesting it presents a clear choice for the Edo electorate.

    Nwaokobia pointed out that the 2024 governorship race in Edo State centers around three main candidates: Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP), and Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He argued that, given the candidates’ unique qualities, the election is likely to be one of the most straightforward in the state’s recent history.

    Nwaokobia singled out Asue Ighodalo, the PDP candidate, as the most qualified and capable contender. He praised Ighodalo’s comprehensive manifesto, “Prosperity for All,” which details his vision and policies for the future of Edo State.

    Nwaokobia commended Ighodalo’s extensive consultations with Edo residents, both at home and abroad, and his commitment to bringing unity and prosperity to the state.

    He further emphasized Ighodalo’s impressive track record, noting his experience as chairman of several blue-chip companies and a successful law firm.

    Read Also: Edo 2024: Appeal Court’s CTC judgment affirms Ighodalo as PDP’s candidate

    Nwaokobia urged Edo voters to carefully consider Ighodalo’s qualifications and vision for the state, expressing confidence that Ighodalo’s candidacy meets the demands for justice, equity, and fairness in Edo, making him the most credible and capable candidate in the race.

    He said: “The choice of the Edo People is Astute Asue Ighodalo, fondly called A.I not the now famous Artificial Intelligence but called by his initials. He was the first of the leading three candidates to present his manifesto called prosperity for all to the Edo Electorate. In it, he set out his vision for an Edo State that works for all. He articulated his programs, policies and programmatic, and tells how he intends to achieve them.

    “He has consulted with the largest number of Edolites at home and in the Diaspora knowing that the challenge before the Edo People and the State is about forging a united Edo that works for the good and benefit of all. He has pledged to bring his wealth of knowledge and experience to bear in taking Edo State to a new level of progress and prosperity. And he means every bit of it.”

  • Edo poll: Ighodalo, Akpata unfold agenda

    Edo poll: Ighodalo, Akpata unfold agenda

    The governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State , Asue Ighodalo, and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Olumide Akpata, have unfolded their manifestos on security, economy and education.

    The candidates presented their blueprints for the transformation of Edo State at a town hall meeting organized by a socio- economic group of Edo professionals, Unuedo Renaissance. The event was held at the Black Diamond Hotel, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Lagos.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Monday Okpebholo, was absent. Speaking at the event, Akpata vowed to prioritize people’s welfare and ignite agricultural revolution in Edo State.

    The candidate, a lawyer, expressed his deep commitment to improving the lives of ordinary Nigerians, emphasizing that governance should be centered around the needs of the people.

    Akpata, who is the immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), stated that Edo has a debt profile of N600billion and questioned the current administration on what’s been done about the state’s debt profile.

    Read Also; How realistic are protesters’ demands?

    “Edo State presently earns close to N17 billion monthly and our debt profile has ballooned to almost N600 billion as at today.

    “In that current debt of the state, the present administration contributed about N400 billion. I am concerned about priorities and how we utilised what we had.

    “In the last four years, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, Edo State has not attracted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the last four years. This is verifiable.

    “Edo State under me will ensure we create environment that would shore up our IGR (Internally Generated Revenue), and ensure the money works for the people without over borrowing”, he said.

    Speaking on security he pledged his support for state policing and said: “Security is vital, however we must manage our realities. We need to work with the security on ground. I will support state police and we can directly move our resources to state police, fund them, that way we can get security working.

    Drawing from a Benin parable, the candidate explained his motivation for entering politics: “If there is only one wealthy person in the family, we are all poor.”

    He highlighted that this philosophy drives his desire to pull more people out of poverty, especially in a country where, he says, people have been removed from the equation of governance.

    He criticized the current state of affairs in Nigeria, pointing to the recent protests as evidence of a nation sitting on a keg of gunpowder. The candidate expressed concerns about the high cost of living, citing the example of a bag of garri now costing N90,000.

    He argued that without active participation in governance, the country risks further decline.

    According to Ighodalo, security is a major foundation in reviving the economy in Edo State.

    He said: “Security like politics, is local, vigilantes and other local security apparatuses must be empowered to properly secure the local communities.

    “The problem with state policing was that it was mostly used by local leaders to their advantage to intimidate people from other political parties and that must change.

    “In Edo, in the last years, kidnapping and other local crimes have decreased. We will work with the police, train them and get them to work for the state.There will be a lot of collaboration and this would make a difference.There must be a constitutional barrier so that state police are not used to fight political opponents.

    “Financing for the police has always been a problem, but we’ll work with the existing systems. If our constitution changes tomorrow, we will equip our state police even more and know how we will be able to help them to achieve their goal.”

    The candidates however argued on the issue of education and renumeration and retaining of teachers.

    Akpata argued that the standard of education in the state has dropped due to lack of infrastructure, proper training and renumeration for teachers.

    “We will fix infrastructure, teachers recruitment across the state is abysmal, some schools hire teachers themselves. That is the reality in Edo State today.

    “Teachers need to be trained and well paid and the curriculum needs to be updated . These changes cut across primary to secondary schools”, he said.

    Ighodalo however countered stating even if the best facilities are built, retaining teachers is a major problem in rural areas.

    He said: “Even if the best facilities are built but we do not have the staffing, it will be a problem.

    “We will ensure that we retain the staff so as not to look for greener pastures elsewhere.”

  • Ighodalo will develop Edo, says PDP

    Ighodalo will develop Edo, says PDP

    The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Debo Ologunagba, has said the governorship candidate of the party in Edo State, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, is determined to actualise lofty developmental projects if elected as the governor.

    Speaking during an interactive session with reporters at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja yesterday, Ologunagba, who supported Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s position that the Supreme Court judgment could not be the end of local government autonomy issue, said while APC had only brought pains to Nigerians, PDP’s standard-bearer in Edo, Ighodalo, is poised to join other PDP governors in implementing good programmes.

    Read Also: FG, Oil companies chart framework for navigational services

     “The validly nominated governorship candidate of the PDP, Dr. Ighodalo, is coasting home to victory in Edo State. We are satisfied with his performance so far as well as his acceptance by the people of Edo State. His acceptance is not a fluke, but based on his campaigns, engagements and the manifesto he derived from the policies and programmes of the PDP,’’ Ologunagba said.

  • Edo 2024: I won’t disappoint or fail you if elected, PDP’s Ighodalo tells residents

    Edo 2024: I won’t disappoint or fail you if elected, PDP’s Ighodalo tells residents

    The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the upcoming September 21, 2024, election in Edo state, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, has promised not to disappoint Edo residents if elected.

    He also said that he would continue to build on the solid foundation laid by the current governor, Godwin Obaseki, across all sectors.

    Speaking at a town hall meeting at Urhokpota Hall of Oredo local government council in Benin, where he officially presented his manifesto, “The Pathway to Prosperity for All,” Ighodalo emphasised his commitment to fulfilling his promises.

    Accompanied by his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), and other PDP chieftains, he described his manifesto as a contract with the Edo people.

    Ighodalo urged voters to scrutinise the candidates of the other fifteen political parties participating in the election, emphasising the importance of understanding their past performance.

    He acknowledged the current economic challenges in Nigeria, highlighting the impact of high inflation and the resulting high cost of living.

    He also committed to enhancing the security trust fund in Edo, emphasizing the critical importance of security for the effective functioning of other initiatives.

    Ighodalo assured the people that he genuinely cares for their well-being and is dedicated to making them happy by adhering to the promises outlined in his manifesto.

    The standard bearer said: “We will get security right, to protect the people in the areas of work, farm, trade, and traveling.

    “We will also make use of the latest technology and equipment to prevent invaders into Edo state.”

    Ighodalo, while speaking on the well-being of Edo residents, promised to reduce suffering and hardship among the people, and make life much better for them, while stressing that it was the government’s duty to make the people live a better life, with the available resources.

    He assured that his administration would encourage every Edo child to go to school, and those doing well would be supported with bursary awards.

    The governorship candidate of PDP in Edo said: “We will train our people in various skills so that when the government establishes industries, we will have suitable people to fill all the positions available.

    “We will make health care affordable to all Edo residents, through a health care insurance scheme to cater for the aged, middle-aged people and children.

    “We will create enough jobs to lift people out of poverty into prosperity. We will construct 2,000 kilometres of roads across the three senatorial districts of Edo in my first tenure in office.”

    Ighodalo, while speaking on the agro-industrial sector, gave an assurance that all the needed support, through equipment, would be made available, with all the Senatorial districts to be given equal development.

    He said: “To ensure good governance, we will regularly meet with Edo residents, through town hall meetings. We will also support all the local government councils in the state, to assist them in bringing development to the grassroots.

    “Our environment must be made clean, to drastically reduce flooding, erosion, and other issues that may affect the environment.

    “We will ensure our environment is clean, and everyone must join hands with the government to make the streets of Edo clean.”

    Read Also: Edo 2024: Appeal Court re-affirms Ighodalo as PDP guber candidate

    The standard bearer of PDP in Edo also gave an assurance that his government would strive to reduce the cost of governance.

    Ogie, while also speaking, described the visionary Ighodalo as a competent candidate with the capacity and experience to move Edo forward.

    The running mate also stated that the governorship candidate of PDP in Edo knew what the critical issues of governing Edo were, and they would hit the ground running, while urging the Edo electorate to be vigilant, not to give power to the persons they could not trust, but to massively vote for PDP.

  • Edo 2024: Appeal Court re-affirms Ighodalo as PDP guber candidate

    Edo 2024: Appeal Court re-affirms Ighodalo as PDP guber candidate

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has upheld the nomination of Asue Ighodalo as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state.

    In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice A. M. Lamido in the suit marked CA/ABJ/CV/642/2024, the Appeal Court on Monday, July 22, dismissed an appeal brought by former deputy governor, Philip Shaibu.

    Shaibu had challenged the May 27th judgment of Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which declared Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the rightful and duly nominated candidate of the PDP in Edo state.

    The Appellate Court held that the trial court was right and unassailable in its ruling, determining that Shaibu did not meet the condition precedent before instituting the action, rendering the suit premature.

    The court also affirmed the trial court’s decision that Shaibu failed to prove his allegations of vote allocation against the Respondent, noting that election conduct and results are presumed regular until proven otherwise.

    Read Also: Killing of police in Edo: Ighodalo campaign council’s DG seeks investigation

    Shaibu’s affidavit provided no evidence to show votes were allocated to the 4th Respondent.

    Consequently, the court dismissed Philip Shaibu’s case and awarded a cost of 1,000,000 Naira against him in favour of the respective Respondents.

    Recall that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had, the previous week, also affirmed Ighodalo as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the forthcoming September 21st gubernatorial election in Edo State.

  • Killing of police in Edo: Ighodalo campaign council’s DG seeks investigation

    Killing of police in Edo: Ighodalo campaign council’s DG seeks investigation

    …wants securtity agencies to analyse videos of persons brandishing guns

    The director-general of the campaign management council for PDP’s Asue Ighodalo and Osarodion Ogie in the upcoming September 21 governorship election in Edo State, Mathew Iduoriyekemwen, has urged security agencies to review circulating videos to identify those who brandished guns on Airport Road, Benin, on Thursday,  July 18.

    He also called on the federal government of Nigeria to ensure a free and fair off-cycle/season governorship election in Edo. 

    Iduoriyekemwen condemned the killing of Police Inspector, Onuh Akoh, of the No. 45 Police Mobile Force, Abuja, who was assigned to APC’s governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, describing the incident as pathetic and barbaric. 

    The former Majority Leader of the Edo House of Assembly made the statement while addressing reporters in Benin on Sunday, July 21.

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    He said: “President Bola Tinubu is now the father of Nigeria. He should, therefore, allow a free, fair and transparent governorship election in Edo State on September 21, 2024.

    “The mayhem unleashed in Benin City last Thursday by thugs supected to be recruited by the impeached Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Sahibu, is uncalled for and condemnable.

    “So sad that innocent Edo residents are now being harassed for supporting the PDP and its governorship candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, which is a direct affront to the freedom of association, enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

    “Let there be peace in Edo State, ahead of the governorship election to be contested by candidates of sixteen political parties. Full campaigns of Edo PDP will commence on Thursday, July 25, 2024.”

    The director-general also assured that PDP would win the forthcoming governorship election in Edo.

  • The return of Madam Folayegbe Ighodalo

    The return of Madam Folayegbe Ighodalo

    Oh boy, oh boy whilst we are still on the subject of the critical nexus between economic development and societal peace and harmony, it is meet to draw attention to some ancient palavers in this same land. Institutional memory is not one of the strengths of contemporary Nigeria. Memory is so often badly short-circuited by the trauma of unrelenting tragedy that it is often better not to remember. It is a strategy of survival and containment of adversity.

     Does anybody still remember Mrs Felecia Folayegbe Akintunde-Ighodalo?  And we are not talking of her exploits as the first female permanent secretary in the history of the country or as a fiery pen-pusher and unrelenting campaigner for female rights. The Oke-Igbo born icon was also an amazon of the bureaucratic barricades, giving as much as she got from obstreperous and chauvinistic male colleagues. The lady was not for turning at all, as Margaret Thatcher, the Oxford-trained chemist and daughter of a Methodist alderman, would scream at her hen-pecked Conservative Party henchmen.

      But that is not why we recall the great matriarch. Even in the halcyon days of the First Republic, austerity was not a stranger to this land. The great Highlife musicians of the period bemoaned the harsh measures which they admitted spared neither the poor nor the rich alike. It was a benign and benevolent lament which hinted of a healthy respect for government in its wisdom, credibility and moral authority.

       In another period, austerity measures were greeted by public cynicism and increasing dismay. Cast your mind back to fifty years ago or thereabouts when the country was in the grip of another crisis of scarcity and a harsh economic climate. So concerning was the situation and so concerned were the authorities that the Government of Western Nigeria swiftly inaugurated a Price Control Board to check the activities of profiteers, rentiers and middlemen or middlewomen alike. It was headed by no less a person than the Iron Lady, Fola Ighodalo herself, a crack economist and mathematician of repute.

      It was the personal and most private dimension of this development that yours sincerely found most hilarious and heartrending at the same time. At that point in time, many of us, holiday makers with a sense of foolish entitlement, ungrateful and ungracious wretches some of who were absconding refugees from the wetie conflagration, often converged on the house of an uncle, a teacher of modest means, to feast on their food and meager munificence.

      While the man of the house was diffident, lenient and most tolerant of our pranks, the lady of the house was having none of that nonsense making sure there was a stringent control of the outflow of foodstuff from the pantry and a diligent postprandial check. Behind her back and away from ear shots, we quickly christened the poor woman as Madam Ighodalo.  Anytime the name was whispered amidst some domestic heist, everybody scampered for safety.

      More than half a century after, it seems some sort of price control and regulatory mechanism for reining in market forces are back with some vengeance. Madam Ighodalo has returned in full force and vigour. The federal authorities hinted that its importation of food items will be backed by some price control measures. Market forces will no longer be allowed to reign supreme. In the old western region, some traditional rulers have moved ahead with punitively proactive measures.

     This is the institution closest to the heartbeat of the people and where the pains and pangs of hunger are felt most. In addition to placing a curse on all cartels and shadowy associations driving up the price of basic foodstuff, the Ooni of Ife has outlawed such gatherings vowing that prompt banishment from his domain would follow any contravention. Another topnotch traditional ruler in the state has threatened to invade the main market to dislodge the evil market forces hoarding food.

    Read Also: Court upholds Ighodalo’s nomination as PDP candidate for Edo governorship poll

      There can be no doubt that the heart of these rulers are in the right place. While the activities of profiteers and evil cartels are to be condemned, elementary economic logic suggests that you can only hoard what is not available in sufficient quantity. The price of an item is determined by its availability. The forces of abundance, of irreversible plenitude, are sovereign over any other market force. If our traditional rulers are able to place a train-load of farm produce at strategic point every market day, the exorbitant prices will drop dramatically.

      The crisis of economic modernity is upon us in the agricultural sector. As the name implies, subsistence farming can only end in subsistence consumption. Savage scarcity must occur when the logic of subsistence farming is driven to arbitrate in the dynamics of mass production. The solution is large scale industrial farming and the provision of adequate storage facilities. This is why Ukraine is still able to feed itself and export food despite a crippling war.

       As a stop-gap measure and the activities of kidnappers and local rustlers permitting, our traditional rulers should initiate a return to farm revolution in their domain in which every available space is utilized for farming by the hordes of youths roaming aimlessly about in Yoruba cities. On a visit to Jos in the last fortnight, one was pleasantly surprised that the entire thirty something kilometre from the airport to the Third Division Headquarters was draped and festooned in lush maize farms. This is the way to go rather than issuing quixotic threats of banishment which can only impair communal relations. God bless our traditional rulers and the spirit of Fola Ighodalo. 

  • Court upholds Ighodalo’s nomination as PDP candidate for Edo governorship poll

    Court upholds Ighodalo’s nomination as PDP candidate for Edo governorship poll

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit by embattled Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, and three others, seeking to void Asue Ighodalo’s nomination as governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Justice James Omotosho held that the suit, which challenged Ighodalo’s disqualification on the grounds that he allegedly forged his voter’s card, was statute-barred.

    He also held that the suit, being a pre-election case, was filed outside the 14 days allowed under Section 285(9) of the Constitution.

    Read Also: Edo 2024: TAMO hails judgment affirming Ighodalo’s candidacy 

    According to him, while, by the guidelines released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), parties were to submit candidates’ personal information between March 1 and 24, the plaintiffs were out of time to have filed the suit on April 7.

    Justice Omotosho added that even if the suit was not statute-barred, the plaintiffs failed to prove that Ighodalo forged his voter’s card as alleged.

  • Edo 2024: TAMO hails judgment affirming Ighodalo’s candidacy 

    Edo 2024: TAMO hails judgment affirming Ighodalo’s candidacy 

    Team Asue Media Organisation (TAMO) has hailed Wednesday’s  judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which affirmed the nomination of Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 21, 2024 Governorship election in Edo State.

    In a statement  in Benin City, TAMO said “the judgment represents a landmark pronouncement by upholding the sanctity of the PDP Governorship primary in Edo State which  held on February 22, 2024 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.  It’s surely a good victory for democracy and  rule of law.

    “We note with satisfaction, the spontaneous celebration the news elicited across Edo State, and that is hardly surprising because Dr. Asue Ighodalo is loved by all. He’s clearly the choice of the masses. From what we can see, the majority of Edo State voters can no longer wait for September 21st to come for them to vote into office their preferred ‘Man Wey Sabi’. 

    Read Also: Court affirms Ighodalo as Edo PDP candidate

    “In the meantime, we advise all supporters and lovers of Dr Asue Ighodalo to keep the gospel of ‘The Pathway to Prosperity for All’ on the front burner, tell your friends, family members and all others who are yet undecided to join the PDP train today”.

  • Edo 2024: PDP decries smear campaign against Ighodalo

    Edo 2024: PDP decries smear campaign against Ighodalo

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the smear campaign against Asu Ighodalo, claiming it aims to derail his candidacy in the upcoming Edo governorship election.

    In a statement signed by Felix Osaro, the party affirmed that Ighodalo is the clear choice of the majority in Edo State.

    The PDP said it is aware of a concerted effort by certain self-serving and overly ambitious individuals to launch a series of coordinated smear campaigns against him.

    Osaro added that the detractors are frustrated by Ighodalo’s emergence as the candidate, his widespread popularity across the state, and his apparent path to victory in the election.

    “The party has been made aware of how these angry and bitter individuals have been going around the courts and reportedly attempting to induce certain judicial officers to procure damaging rulings against our candidate.

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    “It has also, come to the knowledge of our Party that these unscrupulous elements have been attempting to compromise the media to publish fabrications against our candidate and campaign.

    “Information available shows that these politicians are behind the erroneous report that the PDP’s Governorship Primary in Edo State was nullified by the Court when the Court indeed did not issue any Order to that effect, These individuals have been going about brazenly boasting that they have the connection and capacity to compromise the courts.”

    He added that such barefaced boast is a direct assault on the sensibility and pride of the majority of the people of Edo State as well as the institutions of democracy where the Will of the majority of the people must prevail.

    “Our party alerts the Institution of the Judiciary, the Media, and Security Agencies to be wary of the antics and activities of these elements and take steps to resist their shenanigans which is a clear and present danger to the sustenance of democracy in our country.

    “The PDP is, however, not deterred by the mischiefs of these failed individuals as their schemes against Dr. Asue Ighodalo and the people of Edo State have come to naught having already been exposed”, he added.