Edo 2024: At Town Hall Meeting, Ighodalo, Akpata Unveil Plans on Security, Healthcare, Education 

Wale Igbintade

Ahead of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, two of the three leading governorship candidates, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) at the weekend unveiled their plans at a town hall meeting organised by Unuedo Renaissance, an association of professionals of the state extraction in Lagos.

The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Osarenren Derek Izedonmwen, also unveiled his agenda for the state at the occasion.
The two candidates answered questions bordering on security, economic growth and how to tackle unemployment, among others.
The conversation, which took place at the Black Diamond Hotel in Lagos, was moderated by the Director of Public Sector, Lagos Business School, Prof. Franklin Ngwu.

Asked why he was vying for the governorship position, and how they intend to transform the economy of the state, the PDP flag-bearer, Ighodalo promised to improve school enrolment and strengthen security if given the mandate on September 21.
According to him, the foundation had been laid already by the current government of Governor Godwin Obaseki, adding that he would build on that foundation.
He said he had been associated with policymaking in Edo State since 2008, and the federal level since about 2005.
He further stated that he had discovered that “when you give advice, the people you advised most times don’t implement your advice the way you pulled it out.”
On his economic plan and the avenues he would explore to increase the state’s revenue, he said if elected, his administration would attract more investors into the different sectors of the state’s economy, with a focus on agriculture.

On education, he stated that he would return schools back to their original owners, who have the capacity to provide quality education, and provide enough funding at the higher institutions to enable the lecturers to work on solutions to the common problems through research.
The PDP candidate also promised that he would lead by example in promoting transparency and accountability and ensuring that government money does not go to private coffers.
On security, Ighodalo said he would improve the security of the state by collaborating with the federal government, and train local vigilante groups to protect the people.

On his part, the Labour Party’s candidate, Akpata, said: “I have been successful in legal practice; I even went as far as becoming the President of the Nigerian Bar Association. As we say in Edo, if only one person is wealthy in the family, we are all poor. How successful can I be when those around me continue to wallow in poverty and continue to be unable to access success? I cannot count myself as being successful.
“This has propelled me to leave my comfort zone to try as much as possible to pull as many as possible out of poverty as it were. That is the motivation factor.  The people of Edo State have been taken out of the equation. So, the motivation is to return the people to the centre of governance”.
According to Akpata, the economic situation at the centre is shaking, and under a precarious situation, stressing that his main objective is to return the people of Edo State back to the centre of governance.

“My mission as governor of Edo State is to take our people out of poverty, to take our people into prosperity, and to create a world-class state. To create an environment where there is truth and trust, and where there is fairness, equity and prosperity.”
Also, addressing the citizens of the state during the debate, the governorship candidate of the ADC, Izedonmwen, expressed his commitment to turn things around by implementing ambitious programmes on agriculture, industrialisation and infrastructure.
He noted that the people of the state have every cause to partake in the good things of life, adding that the state is blessed already for its inhabitants to be comfortable, but needs a good leader to make things work properly.
“There is no reason for any person in Edo going to bed without eating a three-square meal. But today, we see it happening. So, when we come into office by God’s grace, we are going to turn things around and use technology and fresh thinking to cultivate our land primarily for feeding our people and then for export”, he added.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the President of Unuedo Renaissance, Mr. Nuhu Yakubu, urged the candidates to articulate their visions for the state, propose concrete strategies for driving growth and prosperity, and demonstrate their commitment to upholding the values of integrity, transparency, and good governance.
He said: “Today’s talking points would include strategies for accelerated socio-economic development of Edo state for the well-being of its residents. Policies and measures to encourage businesses, improve ease of doing business and further improve FDIs to deepen and expand the development of processing cottage industries, taking due advantage of our rich human capital, mineral and agro raw materials endowments”.
“We will examine the candidates’ perspectives around promotion of the right ethics and values, as enablers for sustainable development. We will address matters arising from on-going electioneering campaigns, leading to the forthcoming elections and extract commitments from the candidates to promote issues-based campaign and transparent conduct of free and fair elections, not only to the pride of every Edo son and daughter but for emulation by other states across Nigeria,” he added.