Igbinedion Joins APC, Okpebholo Unveils 5-Point Agenda

The political fortunes of the All Progressives Congress (APC) swelled yesterday as the daughter of Esama of Benin, a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Omosede Igbinedion led her supporters into the APC, hours after dumping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

She was received at the Edo South senatorial district flag-off of the APC governorship campaign political leaders carpeted the almost eight years administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki

At the same event, APC candidate Sen. Monday Okpebholo unveiled a five-point manifesto which he said captured his plan for security, infrastructural development, education, agriculture and water provision.

The rally held at the Ekheuan Campus of the University of Benin attracted leaders of the party from the 77 wards that make up the Edo South district.

Speaking at the rally, a former APC governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, said PDP end in the state has come, while a former PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) member, who recently returned to the APC, Hon Charles Idahosa, urged the people of Edo Central to organise a debate for Okpebholo and his PDP counterpart, Asue Ighodalo, in their homeland.

Idahosa apologised for leading Obaseki from the APC to the PDP, saying it was a mistake.

Receiving Igbinedion, who was accompanied by two of her brothers, Mike and Fred Igbinedion, the acting APC state chairman, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, said the party is ready to reclaim the state.

Igbinedion however said she left the PDP because the APC had supported her vision for Ovia people.

“There was Esan Agenda and I also have the Ovia agenda, the APC has fulfilled the Ovia Agenda because we have never produced a deputy governor and the APC has picked our own Hon Dennis Idahosa as the party’s deputy governorship candidate.”

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, on his part, said Igbinedion’s is an asset to APC just as he urged the people to vote out PDP.

“They claim to be technocrats and in this era of seeking knowledge, they destroyed a library and replaced it with shoprite. I can assure you that our candidate will turn it back to a digital library.

They destroyed a hospital and are building a museum for them to re-loot returned artefacts which belonged to the palace, our candidate will partner the palace to build the Benin Royal Museum for the kingdom. He rebuild the Benin Water Storm project and desilt the city to check flooding”

Former deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, told electorates not to be scared of the PDP and its candidate and urged them to join him in defeating the party.