The Ward-to-Ward campaign of the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, in Ward 5 and 6 of Ovia South West Local Government Area of the state, yesterday, drained hundreds of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP), into the PDP.
The mass defection took place from the wards comprising Udo and Ora, which held at Ezoti Primary School, Udo, where the defectors were led by the duo of Roland Ohenhen and Ovie Ighofose, from the LP and APC, respectively, to pledge their allegiance to the PDP.
They said the need to vote for an individual who has the competence, capacity and character and compassion to move the state forward and not a puppet who would be led by the nose and told what to do before doing it informed their decision to dump their former parties.
At the carnival-like event, the leaders of the defectors were symbolically handed unmbrellas and assured of equal treatment and equal opportunities in the PDP.
Addressing the crowd party members and supporters, Ighodalo expressed happiness and gratitude that they were able to find time to come out in spite of many commitments, even as he appreciated the warmth reception accorded him and his running mate, Ogie, and assured them that he would reciprocate the gesture by working assiduously to ensure that Edo State did not go backwards.
Ighodalo told the crowd that he is a “son of the soil and happy to return home”, disclosing that for 11 years he was a director at Okomu Oil until December last year and during his time at the company he facilitated the employment of many able bodied men from the the local government area.
The PDP gubernatorial candidate who praised the men working in the company for making Edo State proud because the company is one of the best in Africa, also commended the women who in the face of hardship and tough times, had continued to hold the family together by their dexterous management skills.
He, therefore, promised to ensure that, if elected, the road to Iguobazuwa would be completed and any other ongoing project in the locality also completed.
