By Kingsley Ohens
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the September 21st election, Dr Asue Ighodalo, on Tuesday at the Urhokpota Hall, Benin City, declared that it was time to move Edo State forward.
He stated this at a Town Hall Meeting for the official presentation of his manifesto, “The Pathway to Prosperity for All” to Edo people. He declared that the manifesto is a contract with Edo people.
He also vowed to fulfill all his promises to the people following all that is in the Manifesto religiously as presented to them because he has genuine love for Edo people. He vowed to make them happy and never to disappoint or fail them if given the opportunity to lead the state.
He, however, challenged the people to ensure they interrogate every candidate’s antecedents to know whether he has done well in his past work to enable them know the right person to vote for.
Ighodalo acknowledged the present suffering in the country which was caused by high inflation which has resulted in high cost of living that has almost spiraled out of control.
He stated that Governor Godwin Obaseki has laid down a good foundation which he promised to build upon and take the state to the next level.
On security, Ighodalo promised to make the Security Trust Fund in the state work better to take care of security matters. He emphasised that security is very key in that without it every other thing may not work well.
“We will get it right to protect the people in the area of work, farm, trade and travelling”. We will also make use of the latest technology and equipment to prevent invaders into the state”.
On the well being of the people, Ighodalo promised to reduce suffering and hardship among the people in the state and make life better for them, adding that it is government’s duty to make the people live a better life with the available resources.
On education, he said government will encourage every child to go to school and those doing well will be supported with bursary awards.
” We will train our people in various skills so that when government established industries we will have suitable people to fill all the positions available”.
Continuing, Ighodalo promised to make health care affordable to all the people through health care insurance scheme to cater for the aged, mid age people and children.
On economic growth he promised to create enough jobs to lift people out of poverty into prosperity.
On the aspect of infrastructure he promised to construct 2,000 kilometers of roads across the three Senatorial districts of the state in his first tenure in office
On agro industrial sector he said all the needed support through equipment will be made available and ensure all the Senatorial districts are given equal development .
On good governance, Ighodalo said, ” we must regularly meet with the people through town hall meetings. We will also support all the local government councils in the state in order to assist them to bring development to the grassroots”.
“Our environment must be made clean in order to drastically reduced flooding, erosion and other issues that may affect the environment.
” We will ensure our environment is clean and everyone must join hands together with the government to make the streets of Edo clean.”
He also assured that he would do all he can to reduce the cost of governance.
Ighodalo was accompanied to the Town Hall Meeting by his running mate Barr Osarodion Ogie Esq, Executive Chairman of Oredo Local Government Area, Dr Tom Obaseki and his vice chairman, Hon Pat Ero and Pastor Ituah Ighodalo.
