The Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II has received a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, and lauded him for his resilience and quest to govern the state, and prayed for him not to encounter regrets.
The monarch spoke when the aspirant visited his palace to formally inform the traditional ruler about his ambition to contest the forthcoming governorship poll.
He said, “A lot of persons from various political parties are contesting for this position. We have prayed for you that as you have respected your elders, you will reap the reward. This journey that you are about to begin, it shall be peaceful for you all. You will not encounter regret.”
Earlier, Agbonayinma informed the traditional ruler that his decision to contest the governorship election is to rescue the state from underdevelopment.
Speaking to journalists thereafter, the former lawmaker who represented Ikpoba-Okha and Egor federal constituency in the House of Representatives said his visit to the palace “is one of the things that as a Benin son or daughter, you must recognize your culture and that means our Oba, our monarch which is something we treasure, respect and appreciate so before I embark on anything whatsoever, this is the first call, to come and tell the Oba my mission, my vision for Edo State, why I have decided to throw in my weight to aspire to contest for the office of the governor of Edo State and I think he deserves to know where I stand and I’m here to let him know, as our father of all.
“Every politics is local so I am here to tell my people because it is my people that will decide who becomes their governor. I know that they believe in me, they trust me, I am tested and trusted and I would never disappoint them because I have been there before.”
On the agitation that the position should be zoned to a particular senatorial district, he said, “Everybody has the right to aspire but it is about Edo because Edo is one. But Edo South is the majority and the majority will always have their way. The issue is about Edo and not about any senatorial district.”
