*Urges him to submit self to pubic scrutiny
* Says it’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo fully ready for election, confident of victory
By Folorunso Alagbede/Vivian Okejeme, Abuja
Ahead of the next month’s governorship election in Edo State, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has challenged the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the poll, Senator Monday Okpebholo, to make himself available for media interviews and public scrutiny.
The party threw the challenge on Sunday at a press conference addressed by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba in Abuja.
The PDP maintained that since the APC governorship candidate, Senator Okpebholo is, indeed, putting himself up for public office, he should equally make himself available for public scrutiny.
According to Ologunagba, “Monday Okpebholo should stop running from the media if he has anything to offer to the good people of Edo State.
“PDP insists that Okpebholo should make himself available for a public debate.
“We understand the APC candidate has been invited to appear on a particular national TV tomorrow (Monday) and it is incumbent on him to honour that invitation”, the PDP national Spokesperson said.
On the other hand, Hon. Ologunagba declared, categorically, that the PDP and its candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, a Barrister, are fully prepared and ready for the Saturday, September 21 governorship election.
His words, “As you are aware, we are now on the home run for the September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship Election.
“Our Candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo is coasting to victory as he is enjoying the support and solidarity of the overwhelming majority of the people of Edo State including across all party divides.
“Our Party is running a very robust, issue-based campaign that has penetrated the nooks and crannies of Edo State with a detailed people-oriented Manifesto that is resonating with the people of Edo State, as it embodies their aspiration in every sector of life.
“This is evident in the organic crowd and followership in our rallies across all the Wards in the State, where majority of Edo people, including prominent members of the APC, have publicly expressed support for our Candidate”, he said.
Continuing, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP added, “You will observe that in Edo State today, it is our candidate that is campaigning.
“Asue Ighodalo’s popularity and acceptability by the majority of the people of Edo State have dwarfed, dumbed and incapacitated the APC and its candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
“Having realized that they have no prospect in the election, APC leaders like Adams Oshiomhole are now engaged in peddling lies and falsely claiming that the PDP candidate has been disqualified.
“It was a pitiable sight to watch Comrade Oshiomhole stammering on National TV when the anchors confronted him with the fact that the Court upheld the nomination of Asue Ighodalo.
‘When the asked to provide the judgment he referred to he looked confused and stated that he did not have it.
“We state categorically that the Court of Appeal did not disqualify our candidate. Rather, the Court of Appeal upheld the Primary election that produced Asue Ighodalo as candidate and awarded cost against the appellants” he stressed.
Hon. Ologunagba, who displayed a copy of the judgement at the media parley, added, “The Appeal Court, by the judgement, affirmed the validity of Asue Ighodalo’s PVC as already confirmed by INEC.
“So Asue Ighodalo is in the race, he is leading in the race and he is coasting to victory.
“On the other hand, the APC candidate Monday Okpehbolo is not campaigning or engaging the people having realizing that he is no match to Asue Ighodalo as he lacks capacity, competence and has nothing to offer to the people of Edo State.
“No wonder the APC candidate has been avoiding the media and town hall engagements with the people of Edo State.
“He is afraid to be confronted with the issues of lack of capacity and allegations of forgery of voter card and birth documents, which he has failed to respond to”, he said.
