Edo Guber: It’s Time to Move our State Forward, Says Asue Ighodalo

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the September 21st election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, Tuesday, declared that it is time to move Edo State forward.

Ighodalo accompanied by his running mate Osarodion Ogie stated this at the Urhokpota Hall, Benin City, during a town hall meeting for the official presentation of his manifesto: “The Pathway to Prosperity”.

The PDP standard bearer disclosed that the manifesto is a contract he and his running mate have with Edo people of the state, vowing that they will fulfill all the promises contained in the manifesto to the people as presented to them because of their genuine love for Edo people.

He vowed to make the people happy and never to disappoint or fail them if given the opportunity to lead the state.

He, however, challenged the people to ensure they interrogate every candidate’s antecedent to know whether he has done well in his past work to enable them know the right person to vote for.

Ighodalo acknowledged the present suffering in the country caused by high inflation which has resulted in high cost of living that has almost spiraled out of control, stating that Governor Godwin Obaseki has laid down a good foundation which he promised to build upon and take the state to the next level.

On security, Ighodalo promised to make the Security Trust Fund in the state work better to take care of security matters, emphasising that security is very key in that without it every other thing may not work well.

“We will get it right to protect the people in the area of work, farming, trade and travelling. We will also make use of the latest technology and equipment to prevent invaders into the state”, he said.

On the well-being of the people, Ighodalo promised to reduce suffering and hardship among the people in the state and make life better for them, adding that it is government’s duty to make the people live a better life with the available resources.

On education, he said government will encourage every child to go to school and those doing well would be supported with bursary awards.

His words: “We will train our people in various skills so that when government established industries, we will have suitable people to fill all the positions available”.

Continuing, Ighodalo also promised to make health care affordable to all the people through health care insurance scheme to cater for the aged, mid-age people and children.

He assured: “I promise you that we will create enough jobs to lift people out of poverty into prosperity. We will construct 2,000 kilometers of roads across the three senatorial districts of the state in our first tenure in office. The agro-industrial sector will be supported through equipment to ensure all the senatorial districts are given equal development.

“To ensure good governance, we must regularly meet with the people through town hall meetings. We will also support all the local government councils in the state in order to assist them to bring development to the grassroots

“Our environment must be made clean in order 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 together with the government to make the streets of Edo clean.”

Ighodalo was accompanied to the Town Hall Meeting by his running mate, Osarodion Ogie Esq, Chairman of Oredo Local Government Area, Dr. Tom Obaseki and his vice chairman, Mrs. Pat Ero, as well as Pastor Ituah Ighodalo.