Edo PDP guber nominee preaches unity ahead of Sept. 21 election

Dr Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Sept. 21 governorship election, has advised the party to close ranks and strategise to permanently defeat Nigeria’s development nemesis.

Ighodalo gave the advice at a meeting hosted by former Minister for Solid Minerals, Sen. Odion Ugbesia, leaders and stakeholders of the PDP in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday in Benin.

He said “PDP is the only party that can rescue this nation because we have capable members with the right vision, focus and patriotic zeal to reposition Nigeria “.

While thanking the party’s leadership, he commended them for the honest analytical report and suggestions on ways and means of moving the party forward and resolving other internal issues.

He said: “PDP remains the only party since 1999  that is still standing, while other parties have since either collapsed, fragmented or become amalgamation of strange, odd and unhealthy bedfellows, a contraption of  complicated forced union.”

Ighodalo advised on the need for the party to close ranks and strategise, to permanently defeat Nigeria’s development nemesis.

 Ighodalo said that  verifiable data showed that PDP was far ahead of other parties, saying “the party’s campaign structure will soon be unveiled”

He advised that square pegs be put in square holes, to guarantee total electoral victory and warned that sentiments should not be the basis for party appointments.

The candidate also emphasised the need to accommodate women and the youth in the campaign structure, “including the Obedient Movement.”

Earlier, Chief Olu Fashanu who spoke for the forum, said the meeting was convened to deliberate on how to ensure total victory for the party’s candidate and also map out other campaigns in Akoko-Edo.

Fashanu said the gathering was to avail the leaders of thought to productively engage and interact with Ighodalo, to ensure his victory by maximising the potentials of the party’s structure for the Sept. 21 election.

He said the party’s commanding political structure, using the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis, would be brought to bear in winning the local government for the party.

He said the goodwill and opportunities necessitated the need to proactively build and develop strong campaign teams with experienced political leadership at ward levels  in Akoko-Edo and beyond.

This, he pointed out, would neutralize voters’ intimidation being orchestrated by the so-called ‘federal might’.