The Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Kashim Shettima on Saturday said Edo State needs a strategic thinker, builder and compassionate leader like the All Progressive Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate for the 2024 Governorship election in Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo
Addressing the party faithful at the University of Benin Indoors Sports Complex, Ugbowo Campus, Shettima said intelligence is not determined by the size of the head but ones ability to solve problems that affect the people.
Shettima, who was with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the Imo state governor, Hope Uzodinma, Cross River State Governor, Prince Bassey Edet Otu, Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the Nasarawa Governor, Abdullahi Sule added that he has absolute confidence in Senator Okpebholo and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
He urged the people of the state to come out in their large number to vote for the candidates of the APC come September 21.
Speaking also, the Senate President, Sen. Akpabio said he believes in the capacity of Senator Okpebholo and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa to deliver on their electoral mandate.
He said he doesn’t need somebody who can speak “grammar” but one who can perform.
Senator Akpabio said senator Monday Okpebholo as a senator, has been living up to his billings in the house of senate, stressing that there is no doubt about his ability to deliver the dividends of democracy at all.
On his part, Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole said governor Godwin Obaseki has been insensitive to the plights of the people of the state noting that there is nothing to write home about his eight years in office as the governor of the state.
He said the markets that were burnt during his tenure none was rebuilt rather the hospital and the state library have been converted into museum and a shopping mall, respectively.
On the part of the national chairman of the party, Umar Ganduje, he said the state have been mismanaged for the past eight years as it was marred with insecurity, unemployment and that it is time for them to take it back by voting the APC.
He said with the likes of Senator Monday Okpebholo and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa who are lawmakers, the state is in a safe hands.
On the part of the governorship candidate of the party, Senator Monday Okpebholo, he said he would employ 5000 teachers within his 100 days in office as governor of the state.
He assured the market women of soft loans to boost their businesses just as he promised to build primary healthcare around the 192 wards in the state.
Earlier the National Chairman of the party, Ganduje received former senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Senator Francis Alimikhena and the former member representing Oredo Federal Constituency, Engr. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama who decamped from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) into the APC.
Speaking, Senator Alimikhena who said he was glad to be back to the APC, said he was going to mobilize his followers to vote for the party in the forthcoming governorship election.
Taking his turn, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, said he had earlier advised his former party, the PDP against its decision when it brought in Governor Godwin Obaseki in 2020 but they didn’t listened to him.
He said he also advised when they again brought in Asue Ighodalo, the governorship candidate of the PDP but they still not listened to him
“In 2020, I advised PDP against impunity, when they brought in Governor Godwin Obaseki through the back door. In 2024, governor Godwin Obaseki, His Excellency who came through the back door, went to Lagos to bring Asue Ighodalo through the back door.
“The man only joined the party in September last year. That impunity must stopped.”
