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

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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.

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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.

READ ALSO: Edo 2024: LP Must Field Candidate Capable Of Giving Opponents A Run – Akpata

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.

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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.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Fubara Summons Emergency EXCO Meeting After 27 Lawmakers Defect To APC

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“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.

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

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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.

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READ ALSO: Edo Poll: Reason Ex-Speaker Resigns From PDP Revealed

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.

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READ ALSO: Edo: Man Arrested For Posting Obscene Photos Of 4-year-old Daughter Online

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.

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

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

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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.

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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”.

READ ALSO: Edo Guber: Ex-PDP BoT Member Joins APC, Says ‘I Regret Supporting Obaseki

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.

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“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.”

READ ALSO: Labour Party Crisis: Edo Deputy Gov Tackles Akpata

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.

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“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.

READ ALSO: Obasanjo To Adeleke: Keep The Dancing Spirit, Deliver On Infrastructure

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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.

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“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.

 

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Edo Guber: Ex-PDP BoT Member Joins APC, Says ‘I Regret Supporting Obaseki

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A former member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Charles Idahosa on Monday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying he regretted supporting Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki four-year ago.

Idahosa said his greatest regret is stopping Governor Godwin Obaseki from resigning in 2020 after he was frustrated out of the APC in his bid to seek reelection on the party’s platform.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after his declaration for the APC at his residence in Benin City, with leaders of the APC in attendance, Idahosa said his return to the APC is homecoming.

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The former Information Commissioner in Edo State said in 2020, the governor had cried to him over the ill -treatment meted on him by his predecessor and National chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole and was considering resigning.

Idahosa noted that Obaseki was at the verge of giving up to allow the APC to pick another governorship candidate, but he (Idahosa) encouraged him to keep hope alive and he personally fought the battle for the governor to win his reelection .

Idahosa, however, lamented that Obaseki utterances during the inauguration of the PDP Campaign Council for the 2024 election was heartless and uncomplimentary when he accused the defectors from PDP as having received huge sums of money before their defection.

The former BoT member of the PDP, while urging the Edo APC leadership to work in synergy ahead of the governorship election, said that the greatest misfortune to befall the APC is for Godwin Obaseki to install a successor.

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Idahosa who pledged his support for the governorship candidate of the APC, Senator Monday Okphebholo, said street survival instinct not doctoral degrees (PhD) or big grammar is needed as a criteria for the next governor that will succeed Obaseki.

He urged Edo people and the APC to put the damning deeds of the Obaseki-led government of 4 years ago in the past and unite to stop the governor and the PDP governorship candidate from taking over the governance of the state in the September 21st governorship election.

He said, “Four years later, we are all wiser. I am back to the APC, which is my family. It is homecoming for me and I am very comfortable. At 71 , I am not going to be a threat to anybody. I am joing the APC to work. Nobody should be afraid or scared that Charles Idahosa is joining the APC because I won’t be contesting any position. “

Earlier, the APC state secretary, Lawrence Okah, while receiving Idahosa into the party, said the former member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Charles Idahosa is a man of honour and a foundation member of the APC.

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