Edo 2020: Okowa advises Ekpon people against vote selling; PDP promises to meet yearnings; Ikimi speaks

By Deborah Coker
Ekpon (Edo State), Aug. 19, 2020

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Wednesday advised the people of Ekpon, especially the youth, against selling their votes in the forthcoming Edo governorship election fixed for Sept. 19.
Okowa gave the advice when he joined the campaign train of Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in his ward-to-ward campaign to Ekpon in Igueben Local Government Area of the state.

He told the people not to be influenced through money to sell their votes and throw away development that would come their way if they re-elected Obaseki.
Okowa, who is the Chairman of the South South PDP governors’ forum, also charged the people not to be intimidated, adding that nobody could oppress them if they exercised their mandates according to their conscience.
He charged Ekpon residents to embark on house-to-house campaign for the PDP candidate and ensure that they convinced those who had left the party to return.
Okowa promised to return to the community at a later date to personally lead a quarter by quarter campaign for Obaseki.
He noted that all states in the South South were presently under PDP control, and that he would not want another party to claim Edo.
Obaseki, while addressing supporters from Ward nine and Ward 10, said that he and his Delta counterpart had concluded plans to construct the Ekpon to Agbor road.
He said that the plan was for Edo to start construction from Ekpon to the boundary with Delta and the Delta Government would complete the portion from the boundary to Agbor and beyond.

Also, Gov. Obaseki promised to meet the yearnings of the people if elected in the Sept. 19 governorship election.
He gave the assurance in Igueben during his campaign tour to ward one, two, three and four in the area.
He said that his administration feels the pulse of the people as well as listens to the people with a view to addressing their issues.
“We are aware of the needs of this locality which include rehabilitation of access roads, electricity among others.”
He disclosed that his plans for Igueben include constructing as many roads as possible in the area, make Igueben an educational hub as well as boost agriculture.
He also said that his desire was to leave office as a government that worked with planning rather than with “fire brigade” approach.
Obaseki also promised to reconstruct the Ugoneki road in the area for easy access by farmers when government commenced mechanised farming there.
In his remarks, Chief Dan Orbih, Chairman of the PDP state campaign council appealed to the youths to eschew violence.
Orbih noted that the Sept. 19 election was for the future of the state; hence various leaders in the state were concerned about the election.
He stressed that the leaders were aware of the issues affecting the state, thus their support for the re-election of the PDP candidate.
Similarly, Chief Tom Ikimi, a chieftain of the party from the area, said that the people of Igueben were a united people who always speak with one voice.
Ikimi said that the candidate of the PDP was committed to the ‘Esan’ agenda.
“We don’t want to just win but to clear the votes. Obaseki is telling us the truth that is why he is going from door to door talking to us,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that earlier the campaign team was at the palace of the Onojie of Igueben, Ehizogie Eluojierior I, where the candidate told the monarch of his mission in the domain.
NAN also reports that the monarch gave assurance to ensure that the governor wins his second term, so he could continue to deliver on the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
“We think you have been working, so we will not bore you with our requests now.
“But after your swearing in, because we know and will make sure you win, when you come for thank you visit, we will put our requests before you in black and white,” the monarch said.