Ighodalo

By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – IT was a show of popularity as thousands of people of the Akoko-Edo local government area on Tuesday flooded the Public Field in Igarra, headquarters of the local government area Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Governor Godwin Obaseki.

The crowd it was gathered was largely due to the synergy between Obaseki’s deputy, Marvellous Omobayo and the chairman of the local government area, Tajudeen Alade

Obaseki was accompanied by the party’s candidate, governorship Dr Asue Ighodalo and his running mate Osarodion Ogie Esq, and other top party chieftains who were received by the enthusiastic mammoth crowd.

The governor commended the people for always supporting the PDP noting that Akoko-Edo has suffered marginalization all this while, hence he took it upon himself to change that order and narrative.

He said in his determination to ensure equity and fairness and ensure Akoko-Edo gets what she deserves, he “gave Akoko-Edo juicy positions, and laid the foundation of a polytechnic in the area because your people are very brilliant and intelligent.”

He said government is a continuous process and there is a need to ensure “capable hands, people with the capacity, competence and those with empathy lead the people, that is why I brought Ighodalo and Ogie to further the development in Edo State.”

Obaseki stated that Akoko-Edo is blessed with mineral resources and the government has made all plans to secure licenses for mining, and Asue Ighodalo will bring investors to Akoko-Edo.

In his welcome speech, Omobayo, thanked the governor for giving Akoko-Edo juicy positions, saying he is the only governor who has done that for the people of Akoko-Edo and commended him for bringing a polytechnic to Akoko-Edo and other appointments.

He debunked the news that a group in Akoko-Edo has endorsed the APC candidate saying “that is not the voice of the people of Akoko-Edo but a group made up of hungry people who want money.”

He said Obaseki and PDP have done well for the people and that the only thing the people can do is to use their votes to say thank you.

The Local Government Council Chairman, Alade praised Governor Obaseki for all he has done for Akoko-Edo and also poured encomium on the PDP candidate, Ighodalo while a former Majority Leader of the House of Representatives and a chieftain of the PDP in Akoko-Edo, Hon Tunde Akogun, said he retired from politics but came back because of the good works of Obaseki and for remembering the people of Akoko-Edo and the quality of the PDP candidate in the governorship race.

Addressing the crowd, Ighodalo commended the people for the huge turnout and promised to revamp tourism, agriculture in cashew production and others. He was particular about the mineral resources in the area, saying he would ensure the local government becomes prosperous and the destination for wealth by reason of the mineral deposits in the area.