APC challenges Obaseki to popularity contest, urges members to work for victory
From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, challenged the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to a popularity contest, requesting him to carry the candidate of his party, Asue Ighodalo around the streets of Benin City and other parts of the state if he would end not up with a bloody nose.
Besides, the party called on its members who are still angry with the outcome of the primary election which produced Sen. Monday Okpebholo as candidate to be true party members and work for the victory of the party which would only be achieved as a united family.
Running mate to Sen. Okpebholo, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, who threw the challenge while at the inauguration of the local government and ward campaign councils of Oredo Local Government Area, said a new APC government would continue from where Comrade Adams Oshiomhole stopped in terms of flood control, rebuilding of public schools, check insecurity, cultism and respect for the traditional institution.
“Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has been out of government for eight years now, the current governor is Obaseki and he has been there for almost eight years, we want Obaseki to take the hands of his candidate, Asue Ighodalo and walk round the streets of Benin City and other places in the state and Oshiomhole will take the hand of Okpebholo and do the same thing and see what will happen. If Obaseki does not wear a helmet, he will come back bleeding because he is completely disconnected from the people”, Idahosa said.
Also speaking, the governorship candidate of the APC, Senator Monday Okpebholo, said if elected, his administration would work to uplift the state.
“We would not listen to gossip, we will be there to work for Edo people so that there will be progress in the state. We are ready to send them packing because they have failed us. I was in the local government of the PDP candidate and by the time I counted thirty things I have done in his place, they could not point to one thing that he has done for them”, he said.
The Director General of the APC Campaign Council, Sen. Matthew Uroghide in his remarks, said APC has done enough for the people to win the election including the party’s candidates who are sitting members of the National Assembly that have been working for their people.
Alluding to the party’s unity, Urhoghide said Oredo is the heartbeat of politics in Edo South and that most of the political bigwigs in Oredo including himself who had been in different political parties are now all one party so the victory of the party is sure.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Director General of the Campaign Council in Oredo, Hon Osaro Obazee, called for unity of the members for victory.
“Today, I am overwhelmed with the quality and quantity of people here today. Not too long ago, we were all involved in our primary election and I recall that in our last meeting, some people still had deep anger. You have a choice when you are contesting a primary election but once a candidate has emerged, you can no longer have a personal interest except if you want to do anti-party activities which have consequences so we must work together.
“We are not going to adopt the usual method of campaigning, we have a new strategy and we will discuss that in our closed door meeting”, he said.
