Edo 2024: Five Political Parties Adopt APC Candidate, Okpebholo
By Imafidon OSAZUA (Benin)
THE race for the September 21 governorship in Edo State assumed a new dimension yesterday as the leadership and candidates of five political parties adopted the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the election, Sen. Monday Okpebholo and therefore called on their supporters to vote for the APC on the day of election.
The political parties included the National Rescue Movement (NRM), the Alliance Peoples Movement (APM) , Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Action Democratic Party (ADP).
They were received at the State Secretary of the APC by the Okpebholo, his running mate, Hon Dennis Idahosa, the Acting State Chairman of the party, Emperor Jarret Tenebe, the Secretary of the party, Lawrence Okah, the Director General of the Edo APC Governorship Campaign Council, Sen Matthew Uroghide and others.
Speaking on behalf of the other candidates who took turns to endorse the speech, Hon Sam Arase of the NRM said: “Today is another beautiful day as Edo state marks 33 years of our existence, we have decided on serious decisions as we are approaching the 21st September being the date slated for our gubernatorial election Edo State; we the assemblies of registered political parties in Edo State haven seen and watched carefully the campaign activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC), haven listened to their manifesto, we carefully watched what the candidate has in stock for the people of Edo State, we specially took one thing into cognizance and that is when he talked about how he will take care of the bastardized educational system in the state.
“ Education is very paramount in whatever you are doing , today we are talking because are educated, we can read and write because we are educated, he told the people of the state that all the schools that are underdeveloped will be developed if by His grace he becomes the governor of the state, we came back home and decided to come here today as members of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), including our candidate, Dr Dennis Osahon, the Alliance Peoples Movement (APM) candidate, Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) candidate, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate and the Action Democratic Party (ADP) candidate to work together with the APC. All our candidates, having discussed with them and the leadership of our parties, we have decided to vote en mass for the APC.
“What we want is the growth and development of this state, we want Edo to come back to its feet again, we want Edo people to know that they will elect a man who means well for them because of his antecedents which we are happy about.
“If you go to where he comes from, he has successfully developed that area which is what we want, a man of his calibre, if he is given the opportunity to govern this state we are going to witness massive development. He is a man that has respect for tradition and he respects both the old and young.
"We are calling on all our supporters across the 19 local government areas to come out on the 21st of September to cast their votes for Senator Monday Okpbholoo and his running mate, Hon Dennis Idahosa.”
While commending the gesture, Sen Okpebholo in his response said he would run an all-inclusive government and ensure that he implements every item in his manifesto and promised to turn the state into a huge construction site.
He said “I am not the only candidate that is contesting right now, there is something special about me that they have seen, they have seen the capacity in me, and they have seen me as somebody who can actually move Edo State forward.
“For me, I have all what it takes because when you look at my manifesto that I will develop education, provide good healthcare for our people, turn Edo State into a construction site, I mean every word because this government of Obaseki has actually failed Edo people.
“There is nothing you can say about Edo State today that is working. No industry, the ones that were working before are all gone so I feel pain in my heart that there is nothing in Edo state and the level of impunity and disrespect for our leaders especially the traditional institution is alarming and it bothers me. I am happy that you have come to support me in this because, it is a big task and without being told, I believe that this state needs a unity government because we must all work together to make Edo State strong and viable.”
On his part, Tenebe said the party would not take the generous support of the parties for granted and that is an indication that they share in the vision of the APC that the state needs to move forward while Uroghide said their generous support for the party would be rewarded.
