By Jude Opara
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially commenced its grassroots campaign for the July 11 local government elections in Edo State, with party leaders expressing confidence in their chances across the state.
The campaign train, led by Edo State Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, kicked off in Ovia South West Local Government Area, where party faithful embarked on rallies across Udo, Iguobazuwa East and Iguobazuwa West wards.
Addressing supporters and journalists in Iguobazuwa on Tuesday, Idahosa said the APC had begun an aggressive mobilisation drive aimed at reaching every community in the council area before election day.
“We are going to campaign in all the nooks and crannies of Ovia South West to ensure that APC wins the day,” he said.
According to the deputy governor, the large turnout recorded at the campaign events reflected growing public support for the party and its candidates ahead of the polls.
He noted that while the election would be competitive, the APC remained optimistic of securing victory through sustained engagement with voters at the grassroots.
The local government election is scheduled for July 11 after the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) released the final list of candidates.
Idahosa also presented the party’s chairmanship candidate for Ovia South West, Anthony Osarobo, describing his emergence as the beginning of a new political chapter for the council. He urged residents to support the youthful candidate and the APC’s councillorship candidates.
Speaking during the campaign, Osarobo said he was encouraged by the enthusiastic reception from residents, describing it as a sign of confidence in the party’s vision for the local government.
“The turnout is high. It shows they believe in us and Edo,” he said.
The campaign also featured the formal presentation of Osarobo, his running mate Isaac Bakare, and the APC councillorship candidates to supporters, with the candidates engaging directly with voters as the party stepped up preparations for the council elections.
