Edo Guber: Ighodalo’s Wife, Ifeyinwa, Embarks on Roadshow to Support Husband

•Candidate unveils strategic vision for state 

•INEC says 379,245 PVCs still uncollected 

•AA disowns candidate, says he’s an impostor 

•Market women endorse Ighodalo, Obaseki announces N1b traders’ support grant

Adedayo Akinwale, Kuni Tyessi in Abuja, Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City and Oluchi Chibuzor in Lagos

Wife of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, yesterday, embarked on another roadshow, to rally support for her husband, Dr. Asue Ighodalo.

The roadshow, which kicked off from the National Museum ground, Benin City, saw women in their large numbers in attendance especially from the Arewa Community in the state and other women from the three local government areas of Oredo, Ikpoba Okha and Egor Local Government Area respectively.

The roadshow, which was a carnival of sorts, saw Mrs Ighodalo dancing and urging the people of the state to come out en mass to vote for her husband through his popular jingle “If Asue dey there he go do am, Alaghodaro, we no dey go back.”

The roadshow drew the attention of Market women and other passers-by attention, creating an atmosphere of funfair for the people.

Expressing her joy about the roadshow and for the candidacy of Asue Ighodalo, Mrs. Philomena Osaro from Oredo ward 3, said they were going to come out in their large numbers to vote for Ighodalo on the day of the election because he only has the capacity to govern the state.

“Come September 21, Mr. Asue Ighodalo is going to be voted for by the people and he is going to win this election. Everybody is going to come out to vote for him because he has the capacity.

“He is a man with compassion for his people and he is very accessible. He is the man that is qualified to occupy the Osadebey Avenue,” Osaro said.

Ighodalo Unveils Strategic Vision for State

Governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo, has unveiled his strategic vision and insights on driving sustainable development and progress in the state.

A fund-raiser, organised by Corporate Nigeria for Ighodalo, comprising investment bankers, investment financiers, infrastructure financiers, capital market dealers, legal practitioners and private sector leaders within and outside Edo, in Lagos, presented Ighodalo the opportunity to unveil his plans for the state themed: ‘Pathway to Prosperity for All’.

Ighodalo said he was stepping into the political foray to convert his great ideas into transformative action for the people of Edo.

As governor, Ighodalo said his capacity, global networks and proven track record would be at play as he would unlock the people’s rich potential and transform latent talents into valuable assets.

Ighodalo disclosed his desire to consolidate on Governor Godwin Obaseki’s transformative policies in education, healthcare, agriculture and other key sectors of the economy.

INEC: 379,245 PVCs Still Uncollected

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that a total of 379,245 representing 14.43 per cent Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) were uncollected ahead of the Saturday, September 21 governorship election in Edo State.

INEC National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement, said the Commission had made available data on PVC collection on Polling Unit basis in Edo State ahead of the governorship election.

He recalled that the Commission recently announced that the total number of registered voters in Edo State was 2,629,025.

Olumekun noted that the Commission went further to give the breakdown by gender, age, occupation and disability.

He said: “Out of this figure, 2,249,780 (85.57%) have collected their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) while 379,245 (14.43%) of the PVCs are uncollected as at the end of the extended period for PVC collection on Sunday, 16th September 2024.

“There are 4,519 Polling Units in the State. Voting will take place in each unit. The detailed  breakdown of the number of PVCs collected, as well as the number uncollected in each unit, has been uploaded to our website for guidance of political parties, candidates and public information.”

AA Disowns, Dismisses Candidate Impostor

Edo State chapter of Action Alliance (AA), has distanced self from Tom Iseghohi-Okojie, who purportedly collapsed his ambition for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Monday Okpebholo.

On Sunday, while briefing newsmen in Benin City, Iseghohi-Okojie said the decision to step down from the governorship race and support Okpebholo was to unite with a capable political leader and party that has the sincere intention to develop Edo State.

In a press statement, however, and signed by the state chairman of Action Alliance (AA), Uwaifo Osaro, who doubled as the governorship candidate of the party, he said Iseghohi-Okojie was an impostor and was never a member of the party.

“By the grace of God, I am the State Chairman of Action Alliance (AA) and also doubled to be the gubernatorial candidate of the party.

“My party primary was conducted on the 21st February, 2024 the last day stipulated by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for all political party to conduct their primaries, and INEC came and supervised Action Alliance (AA) party primary. I did not substitute for anybody as the governorship candidate of my party.

“Tom Iseghohi Okojie is an imposter, we don’t know him as member of AA in Edo. His local government area party chairman don’t know him, even the ward he claimed to be a member cannot even recognised him.

“Edo people should disregard that news that Tom Iseghohi Okojie as AA governorship candidate collapsed structure for All Progressives Congress candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo.”

Market Women Endorse Ighodalo as Obaseki Announces N1b Grant for Traders

The ambition of Dr Asue Ighodalo, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), got a boost yesterday when market women in the state threw their weight behind him as their preferred candidate.

The endorsement and support was announced by the state market women leader, Madam Blacky Ogiemen, at a well-attended annual get-together and hosting of the Grand Patron, Governor Godwin Obaseki at the Lawn Tennis Court of the Ogbe Stadium, Benin City.

Madam Ogiemen said in her welcome address that the traders in the state had always supported the government and that they would continue to do the same thing even after the tenure of Obaseki.

In her words: “The Edo State Women Traders have always supported the government in the state and we hereby pledge that we will continue to do that even after your tenure.”

Listing the many things the administration of Obaseki had done while in office, Ogiemen said, “The achievement of your administration are too numerous to mention. We are confident that your successor, Dr Asue Ighodalo will continue for the betterment of Edo people.”

In his response, Obaseki thanked the women and expressed appreciation for their unwavering support all through his tenure and thanked them for the promise to extend the same support to Ighodalo.

He then declared that in a bid to make life and business more exciting, considering the hyper inflation that the country was facing, the government had decided to support them with N1billion grant to be disbursed to them via a modality that the leadership of the market women and government officials would agree to.

Obaseki assured them that the grant would be in such a way that it wouldn’t come with controversies, promising them that Ighodalo would double the grant.

Also in attendance were the First Lady, Betsy Obaseki and Dr Ighodalo’s wife, Mrs Ifeyinwa Ighodalo.