Politics

Who But Ighodalo Can Make Edo People Smile Again?

Published

3 months ago

February 20, 2024

Editor

By Elvis Osarogiagbon

When the lawyer and development savvy technocrat, Dr Asue Ighodalo, told his media dominated gathering that his decision to rest his plump positions in different blue chip organisations to contest the Edo governorship seat was deliberate and well-thought out, not one person in the audience had a single doubt in their minds that he wouldn’t be able to use his thoughts and ideas to help Edo State hit the ambitious socio-economic development targets he had set.

Boldly stating his desire to move Edo State from her status as a third world subnational into the first world is as daring a campaign statement as they come.

And with recent political events where the main opposition party in the state demonstrated political rudderlessness and an embarrassing lack of tact as an unrepentant godfather selected his unprepared godson; one is led to believe that the political runway is now clear for Dr. Asue Ighodalo’s ambition to serve Edo people, to take off.

The intrepid reader is enjoined to look around; for a moment. Now answer this: Who among these aspirants – without any bias – has the national and international exposure like the frontline PDP aspirant to deliver on their verbose promises? Which of them can boast of higher levels of competence or compassion?

Apart from Ighodalo, who among them has shown the tenacity and clarity of vision needed to govern successfully in times as difficult as these?

While the so-called opponents, have no verifiable credible socio-economic development achievements in whatever manner particular, either in the local, national and international arenas, Ighodalo’s avalanche achievements speak volumes of his capacity and capabilities to deliver any day on his set goals and objectives.

There is an adage in Bini that says it is that man who is overfed and has enough to throw around that will show willingness to share. Obviously, Ighodalo – bursting at the seams with experience and intellect – is the quintessential Edo man that typifies the adage.

Yet Barr. Ighodalo is the model of humility. There is no air of entitlement around him. Perhaps that is why he appears to be the only aspirant reaching out to meet the people where they are – in their markets, schools, churches, weddings, funerals. Like the popular MTN advert, one finds him ‘everywhere you go’.

So perhaps it is this cornucopia of characteristics; his humility, competence, capacity and compassion; that have propelled the former Chairman of Sterling Bank Plc and Nigerian Breweries into the hearts of Edo people as they prepare to elect their next governor on Sept.21.

Asue Ighodalo’s penchant for success through cutting edge tech solutions, became visible once again when he assumed board membership of the Okomu Oil Palm Company PLC.

Variable statistics show that
in the first nine months of 2023, the company’s profit after tax grew to N20.9 billion from N18.1 billion in the same period of 2022.

According to Mr. Chukwuebuka Omerole, the company’s secretary, turnover increased to N60.1 billion from N50.2 billion

Only a man with the midas touch such as Asue Ighodalo, unquenchable drive to excel, is ready and willing to bring such expertise in the area of corporate and project financing, securities and capital markets, energy and natural resources, mergers and acquisitions and banking and securitization to turn the fortunes of Edo around for the better.

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Politics

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

Published

2 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

2 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.

Politics

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

Published

2 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

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.

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.

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.