The All Progressives Congress (APC) officially flagged off its campaign for the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State with the inauguration of the National Campaign Council for the election.
The ceremony, performed by the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Umar Ganduje, also witnessed a huge influx of defectors from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, led by the embattled deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu.
Ganduje announced Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State as Chairman of the Council, with members of the Progressive Governors Forum as part of the team.
While receiving the PDP defectors, the APC National Chairman said that since Shaibu remained a serving deputy governor, the party had already secured 50 percent of the people and government of Edo State to its side.
The former governor of Kano State added that the party would soon organize a grand rally in Benin to be attended by President Bola Tinubu. He mentioned that the APC governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa, “are not coming with MOUs but concrete plans to develop Edo State and to connect the state to the center.”
“Okpebholo is a developer who knows the meaning of development, while Idahosa is a projects man. I urge you to vote for them,” the APC National Chairman said.
Speaking at the ceremony, the immediate past governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, said that the development legacy recorded by his administration in all sectors of the state had not been sustained by the Governor Godwin Obaseki government, which took over from him.
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Oshiomhole, while speaking on the recent political violence in the state, called on the state Commissioner of Police to defend the integrity of his uniform and produce the killers of the police officer shot during last Thursday’s fracas.
He also called on the Inspector General of Police to disband the Edo State Security Network (ESSN), recalling the killing of his private secretary in a similar manner when he was governor of the state, saying that the investigation was mishandled.
“This killing must not be messed up,” Oshiomhole said and promised to raise the issue in the Senate.
In his speech, the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, promised to unite the people of the state and restore infrastructure, security, and the educational system.
Okpebholo also pledged to restore the traditional institution to its place of pride if elected.
Earlier, while leading members of the PDP Legacy Group to join the APC, the deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, said they were back to add value to the party.
“On behalf of the Legacy Group, I announce our movement to the APC. We have come to add value to the party.
“It is time to take back our state. We will not talk too much because action will speak for us. We are not afraid; we are ready to move forward.
“We the homebody are ready to take our state back through the APC governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo, and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa.
“We are not troublemakers, but if it comes, we will use it to rub our body and we move on.”
He acknowledged Senator Oshiomhole as “My father,” which drew applause from party supporters.