In continuation of his engagement with the Edo Diaspora Community in Europe ahead of the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo, has urged the Edo community in London to partner with him, assuring that he would make them proud.
Asue, who met with the Edo diasporans in London, the third of such engagements in the last week, declared that the team of Osarodion Ogie and himself, irrespective of what anyone might say, remained the best and an unbeatable team going into the election.
Speaking to a fully packed hall of about 400 people on Thursday night in London, Ighodalo doubled down on his vision and determination to make Edo State a first-world sub-national in the country if voted into power.
The PDP candidate insisted that regardless of constitutional limitations, Edo State could break free and be a leading reference point for both the national and other sub-nationals.
He assured that with the solid foundation already laid by previous administrations, he would build on it to leverage the “Pathway to Prosperity for All” manifesto to achieve his vision for the state and its people.
As in previous engagements in Reggio Emila, Italy, and Manchester, England, Ighodalo dwelt on his manifesto with emphasis on five key points.
He listed the key areas to include security, which he described as key because, according to him, in the absence of security, nothing else will work. “If we don’t get security right, we will struggle to get anything else right in Edo State.”
He also listed the well-being of the people as another important pillar. He listed the economy, emphasising the need to focus on agriculture, creative industries, mineral resources, and tourism.
If elected, Ighodalo assured that his administration would create zonal economic development agencies to harness the comparative economic advantage of each zone, just as he specifically mentioned the place of energy, particularly electricity, among others.
“I invite you guys to partner with us. What we promise is that we will make you proud. We will be accountable, we will be accessible, and we will govern with honesty, integrity, and the fear of God.
“The Israelis abroad developed Israel. The Chinese abroad developed China, and the Vietnamese abroad developed Vietnam. You guys, the Edo State Diaspora, owe it a duty to develop Edo State.
“So, thank you guys. I see this phase as the first phase of our next phase. Edo State must bring back what Almighty God has given us.
“We have so much at our disposal. By the grace of the Almighty God, Osarodion, and myself, working with our team and all of you guys in this hall, we will make Edo State a first-world state. We don’t have a choice. We don’t,” he declared to rapturous applause from the capacity-filled hall.
During the question-and-answer stage, Ighodalo invited his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, who is the current Secretary to the State Government (SSG), and two commissioners, who were said to have been given the nod by Governor Godwin Obaseki, to provide correct perspectives on anything that had to do with government performance.
They are the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Stephen Ehikoya Idehenre and the Commissioner for Physical Planning, Housing, Urban and Regional Development, Isoken Omo, who had earlier led the gathering by singing the Edo State Anthem.
Also in the entourage of Ighodalo were his wife, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, and the Director-General of the State Peoples Democratic Party PDP Campaign Council, Mr Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, among others.
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