Hon. Sylvanus Igbogbo, a former Chairman of Igueben Local Government Council of Edo State, has scored the incumbent governor of the state, Monday Okpebholo, high in terms of achievements in barely eight months in office.
He warned critics to steer clear as their propagandist approach will not sway any sympathy in their favour as it is well known by the people.
On the opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) claims that the governor is spending recklessly most especially on foreign trips, Hon. Igbogbo averred: “I recognise genuine opposition not propagandists. PDP has no authority to drag Governor Okpebholo of reckless spending when his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, who is of the PDP, was a spendthrift.
“This is a case of calling a dog a bad name so as to hang it. What can Obaseki point to that he did in eight years? Is it the renovation of the State Secretariat or what? Only Senator Adams Oshiomhole’s administration that can be equated as been on high pedestal like what Okpebholo is doing now.”
On the chances of his party, the All Progressives Congress to retain the Edo Central Senatorial Seat that was vacated by Monday Okpebholo who is now elevated to the position of governor, Hon. Igboigbo stated: “Our chances of retaining the Edo Central Senatorial seat are very high. We will emerge victorious. The Governor is doing ward to ward campaign. So also the APC candidate, Joseph Ikpea.
“They’re getting to everywhere that needs to be reached. The Governor’s work rate in the Senatorial District is very high. He is working round the clock to put things in the right order. Presently, he is fixing the roads in areas like Ekpoma so as to make them motorable and stress free. All these serve as pointer to the voters that the APC is their best choice in the senate.
“That doesn’t mean we are resting on our oars. We are moving round the units, wards etc in our door to door campaign, sensitising our people and letting them to know that the APC is standing shoulders high above the other political parties and is sure able to meet their needs of been served dividends of democracy.”
Speaking on the likely outcome of the results in his local government area, Igueben, he said: “I am optimistic that in my ward and unit and indeed the whole of my local government area, Igueben, the APC will score close to a hundred percent of the votes. This is applicable to the four other local government areas that make up the senatorial district.
“Be assured that the outcome of this bye-election will spill over to the 2027 presidential election and indeed the governorship election in 2028. Knowing that Governor Monday Okpebholo hails from Edo Central Senatorial District we will use this result to attest to the promise we have made to secure over 2.5million votes in Edo State for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
“The governor is not laying back to make promises that cannot be fulfilled. For the last couple of weeks he has been going round the senatorial district to campaign and sensitise the people on why the APC deserves their vote. He is pulling his full weight to support Joseph Ikpea who is flying the APC banner. We want to show the other political parties that we own the land.”
According to him “Governor Okpebholo is working assiduously to put things in order. He met a bad situation as per the roads across the state and he is fixing them. A new Edo has risen with Okpebholo taking charge. Before the coming of Governor Okpebholo you will have to follow a detour through Sobe in Owan West if you are travelling to Abuja from Ekpoma.
“Now, it’s been fixed courtesy of the governor. He doesn’t tag any road as a federal road and so wont work on it. He does whatever is needed to be done for the betterment of Edo State. The reality is that he is making Edo State to work devoid of sentiments.
“Governor Okpebholo is doing well and we are all right behind him to give our votes to the candidate of his choice, Joe Ikpea of the APC, and by the end of the voting exercise on Saturday, August 16th the result win vindicate all of us. In the past the opposition PDP used to be a formidable political party in Edo Central. The story has changed with the emergence of Monday Okpebholo first as a senator then now as a governor.”
