Asue Ighodalo, a frontline aspirant in the forthcoming Edo governorship primary election for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he will redefine governance with a focus on accountability and transparency.

Mr Ighodalo, an investment banker and a commercial lawyer, said this while answering questions from journalists on Sunday in Benin.

The governorship aspirant said if elected, he would run an inclusive government and ensure that every sector of the economy was touched.

Mr Ighodalo, a former Chairman of Sterling Bank Plc and Nigerian Breweries, also said he would bring development to the 18 local government areas of the state.

“Having worked closely with the Edo State government since the time of former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, till now, I have come to understand the socio-political dynamics that will massively transform the state to the next level,” he said.

He said that as chairman of the Board of Trustees, Alaghodaro Economic Summit – the Edo think-tank team, the economy of the state grew steadily at a very fast rate, with over 140 per cent in the last seven years.

“And as governor, I will take deliberate steps to grow the state’s economy to a higher level, regardless of the challenges of Nigeria.

“If the economic summit under my watch attracted new investments from new investors worth $4 billion sourced from Nigeria and from joint partnerships, we will do much more, with me as governor because the state has the capacity.

“Edo must set out at dawn to make progress and pull other parts of Nigeria and other regions up.

“We must continue to show through Edo that there is great hope for Nigeria.

“The state can drag Nigeria out of its untapped potential and re-direct it to a point of development.”

According to Mr Ighodalo, “The Edo story tells us we are not a state that cannot do well.”

He commended INEC for directing that political parties and their aspirants should pull down their campaign billboards, posters and jingles being aired on television and radio stations in the state.

INEC’s State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Anugbum Onuoha, gave the directive on Friday at an Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting in Benin.

Mr Onuoha had said that the directive became imperative to remind political actors in the state that the ban on election campaigns had not been lifted.

“If you look at the Edo election timetable, it says that the commencement of campaigns in public by political parties will be on April 24.

“But what is happening in this state right now is that all the political parties are campaigning in public not private.

“If you go round the town, you see campaign billboards, posters and jingles of aspirants, not even candidates.

“We have held a meeting with the Inter-Party Advisory Council Nigeria (IPAC) in Edo on this issue but they have not stopped.

“So I thought I should bring the issue here for us to proffer collective solutions so that nobody will be accused of supporting party A or B,” he said.

According to him, “We are going to hold a press conference to inform the general public and the political parties that what is happening is in total violation of the electoral law.

“And INEC will not fail to sanction any party which goes ahead to campaign after the warning,” he added.

However, Mr Ighodalo said INEC’s warning was apt and timely, saying, “It is a good sign that the nation’s political umpire is ready to weep into line anyone who flouts the electoral laws ahead of the September 21 governorship election.

The PDP governorship hopeful said he had asked his campaign team to immediately comply with the directive.

(NAN)