Barely a week to the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, all the political parties fielding candidates in the election have been campaigning across the state and selling their candidates and their manifestoes to the electorate.
With public campaigns closing on 19 September based on the election timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), most political parties, especially the major ones, have been carrying out intense campaigns across the 18 local government areas of the state.
While the campaigns of some political parties and their candidates – such as Dr Asue Ighodalo of the PDP, Senator Monday Okpebholo of the APC, Barr. Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party, and Engr Derek Izedonmwen of the ADC – have been visible, going from one place to the other, some of the other parties’ campaigns have only been visible on social media.
Asue Ighodalo (PDP)
Since the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, officially kicked off their campaign at Ubiaja, Esan South East Local Government Area, the campaign trail has moved from one local government to another across the state, with Ighodalo assuring the people of sustained development and reiterating his manifesto of ‘Prosperity for All’ to the electorate.
On Wednesday, September 4th, the PDP took its governorship campaign to Etsako East and Etsako Central LGAs, canvassing votes for Ighodalo, and his deputy, Osarodion Ogie Esq.
The state governor, Godwin Obaseki, who spoke to a mammoth crowd of party faithful and supporters in the two local councils, said the party’s candidate is the best and most credible of all other candidates for the election and a vote for the party is a guarantee for progressive growth and development in the state.
At Agenebode, Etsako East LGA, the governor said, “Asue Ighodalo and Osarodion Ogie will put good policies on ground to come to the rescue and liberate the state. No matter the economic challenges in Nigeria, Asue Ighodalo is the answer. We are parading the best; the most credible, intelligent and experienced candidates in this election.”
Ighodalo, on his part, thanked the people of Agenebode for the large turnout, pledging to pursue more programmes and projects to open up the area for economic growth and development.
“Illushi, Agenebode, River Niger is a platform to prosper the people of the area and State. We have enough resources in the area to ensure we don’t suffer or share in the economic hardship created by the APC government at the centre, making life difficult for Edo people,” he said.
In Fugar, Etsako Central, the governor thanked the people for coming out enmasse during the continuous voters’ registration exercise and registering about 7,500 new voters across the 10 wards in Fugar, urging them to put the same energy during the polls to ensure the party’s victory on September 21.
Also speaking at Fugar, Ighodalo said, “The APC has impoverished our people but Obaseki has done so much to liberate us and set us on the path of progress, prosperity, growth and development, reassuring us to continue on the progressive foundation laid by the incumbent government.”
Similarly, on Monday, September 9th, the PDP and its candidate took their campaign to Ikpoba Okha and Egor LGAs, where Governor Obaseki assured Edo voters that their votes would count, while Asue Ighodalo pledged to focus on technology, tourism, agriculture, among others to drive growth and development.
The campaign team led by Governor Obaseki urged the people of the LGAs to come out in their numbers on September 21 to vote for the party and its candidate and rest assured that their votes would count.
Presenting the party’s candidate and his deputy, Osarodion Ogie Esq., to the people at Olua Primary School in Egor LGA, Obaseki said the party is presenting the best candidate for the election with the competence, pedigree, and experience to move the State forward, noting that a vote for the party is a vote for the progress and prosperity of the State.
Noting that Ighodalo will continue from where his government stops, the governor stated, “We have constructed a lot of roads in Egor LGA, including the Evbuotubu Road which is still under construction. Asue Ighodalo will finish what we can’t finish as no one administration can finish the work. Edo is in safe hands with Asue Ighodalo as governor of Edo State.”
On his part, Ighodalo said if elected, his government will focus on technology, culture, tourism, agriculture, and sports, among others to drive economic growth and prosperity in Edo State.
“We would work to show leadership that loves its people and improves their lives for the better. Prosperity and growth is sure when PDP continues in office,” he said.
Monday Okpebholo (APC)
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, have also been moving from one local government area to the other, talking to the people and canvassing for votes.
Senator Okpebholo, whom the APC has tagged a man of less talk, more action, has not relented from speaking at campaign grounds despite his gaffes. The APC candidate has constantly been flanked by former governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who has been doing most of the canvassing and talking for the APC candidate.
Senator Okpebholo, during a ward-to-ward campaign in Etsako East, said he will emulate former Governor Oshiomhole so as to remain relevant with the people even after leaving office.
The campaign trail also stopped over at Anegbette, Ogbonna, Ugbekpe-Ekperi, and Fugar in Etsako Central LGA. In Ugbekpe Ekperi, Okpebholo assured the people of adequate security on election day.
At Okpella, Okpebholo said, “I want to promise Okpella people one thing, where His Excellency (Oshiomhole) stopped, that is where I will begin from. I will make sure that our land is safe, there will be no kidnapping, we will send them away because they are alien to us, they are not from here.
“I will work for you because I want to be like Oshiomhole, who as governor used to walk in the streets and after he left the government he still walks in the streets. He does that because he worked for the people.”
Also, the APC campaign trail stopped at Uhunmwonde LGA, Ovia North East, among others.
Olumide Akpata (Labour Party)
The Labour Party and its candidate, Barr. Olumide Akpata, have been campaigning, reaching out to the people in their houses, shops, motor parks, streets, marketplaces, among others despite the crisis rocking the Labour Party both at the national and state level.
The former NBA President, whose manifesto is titled “My Pact With Edo People”, has in recent times focused his campaign mainly in Edo South senatorial district, as well as meeting with the Edo people in diaspora.
In a town hall meeting with Edo Diaspora in the United States, Akpata said no state government in Edo would succeed without partnering with the people in the Diaspora. He assured that with him as governor of Edo State, there would be progress and prosperity in an all-inclusive government he intends to form.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Edo State will make great progress if we tap into the potentials that exist in the diaspora, the state will go far because we are smart people anywhere we are and in all my campaigns where I go, people ask us, ‘What do you want to do?’ And I say, Edo State needs our people in the Diaspora more than they need us. I understand the Diaspora Commission Law has been passed and you can be assured that any government that I lead, will localize that Commission immediately because it will be in our best interest to ensure that the state government and the people in Diaspora work hand-in-hand,” he said.
On his campaigns, Akpata said he has campaigned more than any of the other political parties and their candidates, saying: “The deputy governorship candidate and I have been around the state twice, and the18 local government areas. We have traversed the entire state and we engaged the people and we are getting very encouraging feedback.”
Akpata’s campaign was boosted on Tuesday with the presence of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, who was in the state to mobilize support for the party’s candidate and galvanized his Obidient Movement to queue behind Akpata.
Derek Izedonmwen (ADC)
Engr. Osarenren Derek Izedonmwen, the candidate of the ADC, has been intensifying his campaign across several parts of the state, meeting the people at the grassroots, market women, professional and interest groups, among others.
Izedonmwen, whose manifesto is tagged “RAIISE Agenda”, was at Oliha market, located at Siluko Road in Oredo LGA, where jubilant market women trooped out to welcome him and his campaign team with songs of praise.
Addressing the jubilant and excited Oliha Market women, Engr. Izedonmwen pledged to support them to ensure that they and their families have food on their table. The ADC candidate assured the market women that his agricultural initiative will address the rising cost of food currently being witnessed across the state, stating that his administration will provide adequate security to ensure that farmers are able to go to their farms and also provide good roads for the farm produce to get to the market as quickly as possible.
Similarly, Izedonmwen met with artisans at the Mechanic Village located at Iyaro in Benin City, where he assured the large number of artisans who came out to receive him that his industrialisation and infrastructural development agenda will improve the quality of lives of artisans and promote their activities across the state.
Izedonmwen’s campaign trail has also touched places like Iguobazuwa in Ovia South West and Ikhueniro community in Uhunmwode LGA. He continuously holds town hall meetings across the three senatorial districts and also connects with the Edo youths across various social media platforms, engaging them daily on issues to move the state forward.
Last Word
As the campaigns come to end on Thursday, September 19th, the peace-loving people of Edo State are eagerly waiting and keen to vote for the candidate and political party of their choice come September 21 to elect a governor that will pilot the affairs of the state for the next four years when Governor Obaseki’s tenure comes to an end on November 12, 2024.
