Uromi, the administrative headquarters of Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State, came under heavy political Tsunami on Saturday as a well-known chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Musa Isiwele led over 3,000 other members to dump the party. The former Deputy Commissioner of Police and former National President of the Road Transport Employees Association (RTEAN), led the former APC members to join the ruling party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The earth-scorching defection was witnessed by PDP heavyweights in the state. They included Elder Statesman; Chief Tom Ikimi; the state PDP Chairman, Chief Anthony Aziegbemin; Director General of the PDP state campaign council, Chief Matthew Iduoriyemkewen; Senator Odion Ugbesia; and his brother Akhere Ugbesia; and Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon Maria Edeko.
Others included Esan North East Local Council Chairman, Dr. Kelly Inedegbor; Esan South East Local Council Chairman, Hon. Louis Imhandegbelo; popular cleric, who is a brother of the PDP governorship candidate, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo; Esan South East PDP chairman, John Yakubu; Hon. Joe Edionwele, and Hon. Peter Aguele.
Isiwele pledged the readiness of his followers and himself to work hard, campaign and vote for PDP governorship candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, across Edo Central.
Ighodalo promised not to fail the people. He assured the teeming crowd that he has a clear vision of what to do to lift the state to a first world sub-national in the country.
“I want to promise all of you gathered here today that I will not fail nor let Edo State down. Our vision is clear, what we want to achieve is clear. Edo State is well blessed with human and natural resources. The vision is to make Edo State a first world sub-national in Nigeria and a state that all of you would be proud of to. All your state and which our people in the Diaspora would eagerly want to come back home to. It is doable by the grace of God and the goodwill of our people”, he said.
Meanwhile, Esan North East Local Government has been declared “locked down for PDP” by some prominent members of the party’s Legacy Group.
The Chief Imam of Uromi offered prayers for Ighodalo’s victory at the poll. He also recounted how Yakubu had supported the Muslim community in the town, and thanked Governor Godwin Obaseki for the support they continued to receive from him, saying they would thank him by encouraging their people to vote for PDP and Ighodalo.
Chants of “It’s all over , It’s all over“ filled the air as supporters consider the coming election a forgone conclusion, insisting that the poll has been won following the gale of defections of grassroot canvassers and party chieftains that have been joining the Ighodalo ticket train since the campaign started on 23 April.
