The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 21 September governorship election in Edo State, Dr Asue Ighodalo, has asked the electorates to properly interrogate the leaders they intend to elect. He said that the quality of leadership of any state or organization will determine whether it will progress or not.
The governorship hopeful made these assertions in a symposium with the theme: “Leadership Recruitment, Process In Nigeria; Edo State Imperative”, organized by the National Association of Edo State Indigenes in Abuja on Friday.
Ighodalo whose paper was presented by Mr Tony Okonigene, noted that the concept of who is a leader is being misunderstood in the Nigerian political circle. He said that a situation whereby elected officials who are recruited to serve the people suddenly become the leaders of their employers is a misnomer.
He urged the people to properly interrogate those they intend to elect as leaders. He faulted the current process that leaves only the political parties to determine who should be voted for.
Ighodalo wondered why people will take prospective employees through rigorous recruitment processes in their personal businesses and homes but are unwilling to do the same for political office holders who will be in charge of their commonwealth.
Earlier, the Special Guest of Honour of the occasion, His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki, who was represented by the deputy governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Engr. Marvelous Godwins advised the people to take the issue of who becomes the next governor of Edo State seriously. He said that the choice the people will make will determine whether the state will continue in its progressive route or move backwards. He announced that Edo State has been rated as the second-highest State in terms of the volume of businesses transactions carried out daily in the country.
On his part, the Director General of the Edo State Liaison Office, Abuja, Deacon Festus Osagbovo, described the symposium as apt as Edo State prepares for the 2024 governorship election in September.
The symposium which was moderated by a former member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Tunde Lakoju, had in attendance some members of the National Assembly from Edo State, civil societies, Ambrose Alli Alumni, Abuja branch, members of various Edo State clubs and groups in Abuja.
The Edo State gubernatorial election comes up on 21 September. While the PDP has Dr Asue Ighodalo, a boardroom guru, as its candidate, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has Senator Monday Okpebholo, a serving senator for Edo Central Senatorial District, and the Labour Party (LP) has Olumide Akpata, the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) as candidates.
