Edo 2024: Gale of defection hits APC, LP as hundreds join Asue/Ogie train In Ovia South-West
From Imafidon OSAZUA ( Benin)
It was a harvest of political defectors from the opposition parties to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Edo State on Saturday as the governorship candidate of the party for the September 21, 2014, governorship election, Asu Ighodalo, and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, took their campaign train to Ovia South-West Local Government Area of the state.
The gale of defection hit the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) as hundreds of their supporters dumped the parties and pledged allegiance to the PDP as the Ward-to-Ward Campaign train hit the local government area.
The campaign at wards 5 and 6 comprising Udo and Ora which was held at the Ezoti Primary School, Udo, witnessed the mass defection led by the duo of Roland Ohenhen and Ovie Ighofose, with Ohenhen leading the defectors from the LP, and Ighofose leading those from the APC.
The defectors hinged their action on the need to vote for an individual who had the competence, capacity and character and compassion to move the state forward and not a puppet who would be led by the nose and told what to do before doing it.
The massive crowd of PDP supporters at the Ezoti Primary School, which received the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Ighodalo, on behalf of the state PDP l, symbolically handed umbrellas to the leaders of the defectors, assuring them all of equal treatment and equal opportunities in the PDP.
The joyous supporters donning branded T-Shirts and and fez caps and clutching their umbrellas turned the arena to a carnival as they danced to high rhythm of Asue/Ogie songs blaring loudly from mounted heavy speakers on trucks.
Addressing the mammoth crowd, Ighodalo expressed happiness and gratitude that they were able to find time to come out in spite of many commitments.
He said that felt loved him by the warmth reception accorded him and his running mate, Ogie, and assured them that he would reciprocate the gesture by working assiduously to ensure that Edo State did not go backwards.
Ighodalo who announced to the crowd that he is a "son of the soil and happy to return home", disclosed that for 11 years, he was a director at Okomu Oil until December last year.
During that period, he added that he facilitated the employment of many able bodied men from the the local government area into the company, to the admiration of the crowd.
He further heaped praises on the men working in the company for making Edo State proud because the company is one of the best in Africa.
Ighodalo commended the women who in the face of hardship and tough times, had continued to hold the family together by the dexterous management skills, and thereafter promised to ensure that, if elected, the road to Iguobazuwa would be completed and any other ongoing project in the locality also completed.
