By Nosa Ekhator
Dr Asue Ighodalo, Peoples Democratic Party Frontline aspirant for the forthcoming Edo governorship election, says he will redefine the face of governance woven round accountability and transparency.
Ighodalo, an investment banker cum commercial lawyer, said this while fielding questions from newsmen on Sunday in Benin.
The governorship hopeful said if elected, he would run an inclusive government that would ensure "every sector of the economy is touched, bringng allround development to the 18 local government areas of the state."
Ighodalo, one- time chairman of Sterling Bank Plc and Nigerian Breweries, said having worked closely with Edo state government since the time of former Gov. Adams Oshiomhole till now, " i have understood the socio-political dynamics that would massively transform the state to the next level."
He said as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the, Alaghodaro Economic Summit, Edo state think-tank team, the Edo economy steadily grew at a very fast rate, "with over 140 per cent growth in the last seven years.
"And as governor, I will take deliberate steps to grow the state’s economy to a higher level, regardless of the challenges of Nigeria.
" If the economic summit under my watch attracted new investments from new investors worth $4 billion sourced from Nigeria and from joint partnerships, we will do much more, with me as governor, because the state has the capacity and will.
“Edo must set out at dawn to make progress and pull other parts of Nigeria and other regions up.
“We must continue to show in Edo that there is great hope for Nigeria through Edo State.
“The state can drag Nigeria out of its untapped potential, re-directing the nation to a point of development.”
According to Ighodalo, Edo story tells us we are not a state that lacks capacity to do well.
Meanwhile, Ighodalo has applauded INEC for its directive that political parties and their aspirants should pull-down their campaign bill boards, posters and jingles being aired on television and Radio stations in the state.
Recall the INEC's State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Anugbum Onuoha, on Friday, gave the warning at an Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting in Benin.
INEC said the warning had become imperative to remind political actors in the state that the ban on election campaigns had not been lifted.
Onuoha at ICCES meeting said “lf you look at the Edo election timetable, it says that commencement of campaign in public by political parties will be on April 24.
“But what is happening in this state right now, is that all the political parties are campaigning in public not private.
“If you go round the town, you see campaign billboards, posters and jingles of aspirants not even candidates.
“We have held a meeting with the Inter-Party Advisory Council Nigeria (IPAC) in Edo on this issue but they have clearly not stopped.
“So I thought I should bring the issue here for us to proffer collective solutions so that nobody will be accused of supporting party A or B,” he said.
According to him, “we are going to hold a press conference to inform the general public and the political parties that what is happening is in total violation of the electoral law.
“And INEC will not fail to sanction any party which goes ahead to campaign after the warning,” he added.
However, Ighodalo said INEC's warning was apt and timely, saying, "it is a good sign that the the nation's political umpire is actually on its toes ready to weep in line anyone who flouts the electoral laws ahead of the Sept.21 governorship election.
The PDP governorship hopeful said he had asked his campaign team to immediately comply with INEC's directive.
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