Barr Asue Ighodalo

By Jethro Ibileke

Ahead of next year’s gubernatorial election in Edo State, a group, the Edo South Vanguard for Justice and Equity, has canvassed for the zoning of position to Edo Central district.

This is even as the group drummed support for the governorship aspiration of Barr Asue Ighodalo.

Ighodalo is one of the leading aspirants seeking the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who hailed from Edo Central.

The group while addressing a conference in Benin weekend, noted that Ighodalo is best qualified to lead the State.

Mrs. Joy Ebhonuaye, the group’s Woman leader from Oredo, who read a statement on behalf of others, noted that Ighodalo’s leadership will promote fairness, equity and justice.

The group also said that after a thorough research and study of all the aspirants coming out to contest the 2024 Guber election, it has concluded that for Edo state to experience a more peaceful coexistence, unity and brotherhood among all the ethnic nationalities in the state, the people of the state have to respect the doctrine of fairness, equity, justice, equality and diversity, which gives the people of Edo central the opportunity to produce the next governor.

Read the full text of the statement below:

“As you all aware, the current administration of Mr Godwin Obaseki is on the home stretch and as expected, political activities that would lead to the enthronement of a new administration in another eleven months are in top gear and, as usual, politicians are coming up with their antics and dramas.

“As some call for peace, equity, justice, and fairness, we also observed that some unscrupulous elements in our political space are already fanning the atmosphere of trouble and violence and running campaigns of calumny and smearing against perceived threats.

“As a noble organization with its members across the seven LGAs in Edo south senatorial district of Edo State, we have taken our position as far as the Edo 2024 gubernatorial election and the political situation in the state are concerned.

“We have taken our time to critically consider the socio-political history of the state since the beginning of the current democratic dispensation in 1999 and arrived at the equitable resolution that since our senatorial district, Edo South started with Chief Lucky Igbinedion between 1999 and 2007, Prof Osehriemen Osunbor from Edo Central, May 2007 to November 2008, an administration that was truncated by an appeal court verdict, Comrade Senator Adams Oshiomhole from Edo North, between 2008 and 2016 and Mr. Godwin Obaseki from Edo South again, 2016 to 2024, it is only fair that Edo Central is allowed to govern the state as from 2024.

“On this note, we want to state unequivocally that we are throwing our weight behind Barr Aseulimen Ighodalo of the PDP, who hails from Esan South-East LGA of Edo central senatorial district of the state.

“We have taken a look at all the aspirants from the senatorial district and resolved to back him because he is the most qualified, just as we believe that with his exposure and wealth of experience in economics and investment at both local and international stages, he has what it takes to get the state to her right destination.

“We call on all the good people of Edo South to support our son, Gov Obaseki, who made a promise to the state in 2020 that for equity and fairness, he would ensure that Edo Central produces the next governor is our responsibility to support him to achieve this noble course.

“We strongly condemn the attempt by some desperate politicians to drag the enviable name and integrity of Dr Asue Ighodalo into a negative narrative of political violence and thuggery.

“We boldly state that this is an act to prove that they feel threatened and jittery with the intimidating resume of Asue Ighodalo, a well-known gentleman of nrational and international reputes.

“He is not desperate and has no history of violence or stains of any nature. We advise against this vile campaign of calumny and fruitless gang-up against Dr Barr Asue Ighodalo.”