The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the September 21 election, Asue Ighodalo, has urged voters to scrutinize the backgrounds of all the governorship candidates from various parties to determine who among them has the competence to lead the state.
Ighodalo issued this challenge on Tuesday at the Urhokpota Hall in Benin City. He emphasized the importance of understanding the capabilities of those who will be entrusted with the state’s future, stating that it is time to move Edo State forward and that the leader’s capabilities are crucial.
He stressed that every candidate must convincingly demonstrate their past achievements so that voters can make an informed choice.
Presenting his “The Pathway to Prosperity for All” manifesto at the Town Hall Meeting, the PDP candidate described the manifesto as a “contract with Edo people.”
Ighodalo vowed to fulfill all the promises outlined in the manifesto, expressing that he owed this commitment to his genuine love for Edo people.
He acknowledged the current suffering in the country, attributed to high inflation and the rising cost of living, which has become nearly unmanageable.
However, he assured that Governor Godwin Obaseki had laid a solid foundation, which he promised to build upon to advance the state to the next level.
Regarding security, Ighodalo pledged to enhance the Security Trust Fund to improve security measures, emphasizing that “security is crucial; without it, everything else may not function properly.”
“We will ensure the protection of people in their workplaces, farms, trade, and travel. We will also employ the latest technology and equipment to prevent intruders into the state,” he assured.
On the well-being of the people, Ighodalo promised to alleviate suffering and hardship, making life better for residents. He added, “It is the government’s duty to improve the quality of life with the available resources.”
Discussing his education plan, he stated that his government would encourage every child to attend school and support high achievers with bursary awards.
“We will train our people in various skills so that when the government establishes industries, we will have qualified individuals to fill available positions.”
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Continuing, Ighodalo promised to make healthcare affordable for all through a health insurance scheme, catering to the elderly, middle-aged individuals, and children.
On economic growth, he pledged to create sufficient jobs to lift people out of poverty and into prosperity. He also promised to construct 2,000 kilometers of roads across the three senatorial districts of the state during his first term in office.
Regarding the agro-industrial sector, the PDP candidate said he would ensure that necessary equipment is provided and that all senatorial districts receive equitable development.
“We must regularly engage with the people through town hall meetings. We will also support all local government councils to help them bring development to the grassroots.”
He emphasized the need to keep the environment clean to significantly reduce flooding, erosion, and other environmental issues.
“We will ensure our environment is clean, and everyone must collaborate with the government to keep the streets of Edo clean,” he reiterated.
He also assured that he would work to reduce the cost of governance by expanding on the digitalization processes initiated by Governor Obaseki.
