Politics

2024 Poll: I’ve Been In State Economic Team Since 2008, Have What It Takes To Reposition Edo – Ighodalo

Published

5 months ago

December 11, 2023

Editor

By Joseph Kanjo, Benin

Mr. Asue Ighodalo, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in the 2024 Edo State governorship election has said that being a member of the state economic team since 2008, he firmly believe he is in the best position to reposition the economic fortune of the state.

He added that being experienced in the public service and corporate world, he was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that he has what he takes to govern the state and lift the over 5.2m Edo people above the poverty level if given the opportunity to govern the state.

The Lawyer turned politician who stated this when he paid a visit to the secretariat of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Edo State council, stressed that having worked in the background for several years – in Adams Oshiomhole and Godwin Obaseki administrations – he decided to offer himself for service because of his desire to make Edo strong economically.

While describing himself as a bonafide Edo citizen from Ewohimi in Edo Central, Ighodalo stated that he is nobody’s candidate but one who is ready to bring his experience of serving as chairman of various companies to bear when he gets the nods of the electorate next year to govern the the state.

Noting that there were several parts of the economy that can be used to provide for the people and take them out of poverty, he noted that Edo State as the heart beat of the nation should have good infrastructure like good roads, pipe borne water, good hospitals, good schools and many others.

While noting that Edo is blessed with different natural resources that can be harnessed to better the lives of the people, the immediate past Chairman of Nigeria Breweries PLC, promised to invest across the 18 local governments according their (LGs) god-given resource (s).

He said, “I am here to serve the state and I can say I am the best man for the job. I hear people saying I am someone’s candidate, but I can tell you that I am nobody’s candidate. All I will do is to bring my experience to bear having been chairman of several top companies.

“It was tough decision resigning from those positions. I’m coming from a comfort zone but I decided to put all of that down so I can I can directly do things for my people. I have the ability to do things for many more people having done for fewer people in the corporate world.

“All of the experience and connection I have had allover the years would be brought to bear. I am committed and convinced that I can do it. It looks uncertain but even with that, it will be certain in God’s name.

“I pledge to give youths the opportunity to serve in my government because the youths have talents to build the state. Be assured that I am fully committed to the upliftment of our state, and I will give my life to ensure that.”

While pleading to aggrieved PDP members to put their differences aside and work for the success of the party in the coming election, Ighodalo promised to unite members of the party in the state when he becomes governor.

He also promised to build on successes of past administrations in the state, while ensuring that other policies would be fine-tuned to meet current needs.

Politics

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

5 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
PUNCH

Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

“All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.

Politics

Defection: Edo Govt, Ex-PDP BoT Member, Idahosa In Verbal War

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

Edo State government and a former member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, Charles Idahosa, on Monday traded words over the latter defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Recall that Idahosa resigned
formally resigned who had last month resigned from PDP, rejoined the APC on Monday in Benin City.

Speaking during his formal presentation to the APC in Benin City, he noted that he left the party four years ago due to internal crisis.

Idahosa added that he dumped the PDP because of what he described as the “damning deeds of the Obaseki-led administration in the last four years”.

He took a swipe at Obaseki for saying that PDP would win the forthcoming September governorship election with 80 per cent of votes.

“I thank God, four years later we all are wiser now. Like the Secretary said, I was a founding member of ACD, ACN and APC. The damage we did four years ago, the APC never remained the same.

“But I am glad we are back to the family. I was nominated to the Board of the Railway when I was in the APC. When I moved to the PDP, I wrote to resign my membership but it was rejected and showed my wide acceptance.

“At 71, I am not here to contest position with anybody, I am here to work. I want to urge APC to keep their eyes on the ball. It is not over until it is over.”

While lambasting Governor Obaseki for his comment that those leaving PDP have been given money, he noted that his greatest regret was not allowing the governor to resign after his first four years in office.

“When he came to beg me like a weather beaten chicken, how much did he give to me? Anytime he goes religious gathering he would say those leaving PDP have been given money.

“He came to me three times in my house to say he wants to resign, that he was tired of being governor but I appealed to him, telling him it was not about him but Benin interest.”

But in a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare alleged that Idahosa was never a PDP member.

Nehikhare noted that Idahosa was also never a BOT member of the party, because the party in the state rejected his nomination.

He alleged that it was as a result of the rejection that he found his way back to APC.

“I heard that he claimed to be a member of BOT of PDP but I want to challenge him to tell us when he was sworn in as a member of PDP BOT. He was not a fit and proper person. Even though he was nominated he was shunned by the party.

“It was this that drove him back to APC which he never left in the first place. He was holding on to the board appointment which was offered him while in APC prior to 2020 governorship election.

“He has reached the end of his political career. He has nothing to offer any political party or any group he joins because he believes in bread and butter politics,” Nehikhare said.