The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Candidate in the Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has begged Philip Shaibu and other aspirants who contested the primaries with him to work together with him to make the PDP win the September 21, 2024, Governorship Election.
Ighodalo defeated nine other contestants, including the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, to clinch the PDP ticket on February 22, 2024.
The PDP candidate begged his co-aspirants after he received his Certificate of Return at the PDP National Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
Ighodalo said, "My co-aspirants, it is good to contest, but the contest is over and like I have been begging each and every one of you, I continue begging you, please, let's come together as one.
"Since my first day in this party, I have been begging you and I will continue begging because it is critical and extremely critical that Edo state must and shall by the grace God remain PDP and that will be made easier if we work together as a team.
"And we will by the grace of God almighty work together. I will keep on begging, we must unite.
"After contestation, sometimes, people feel somehow hurt. I promise you; this is for all of us, we all will be the governor of Edo State. I will take your advice; we will work together."
Ighodalo promised that when elected, he would run a government that is propelled by the youths of Edo State.
He said, "I shall by the grace of God and the support of this party - PDP, and the will of the great people of Edo State, when I become governor, run a government that is propelled by the youths, for youths, with youths.
"I will take their strength and creativity. I will take their ability to work hard, I will take their ingenuity and will turn Edo State to the state that every Nigerian will be proud of."
He also promised to turn Edo State "to a state the PDP will be extremely proud of, that the PDP will always use as a model state in Africa".
Earlier, the PDP Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, noted that there is daunting challenge ahead of the September 21 election and urged Ighodalo to take steps to reconcile with his co-contestants who might be aggrieved.
"It is very easy to win primaries, but the most important thing is to win election. I want to use this opportunity to call on the people of Edo State even though it was a hotly contested seat, but I know like you people always said, Edo is PDP and to the glory of God, it should remain PDP.
"But you have a daunting task before you. Normally after primaries, a lot of disagreements and what have you, so, there is no better time to reconcile yourselves.
" I am urging the candidate to go after your fellow candidates and make them see reason why you must work as a team so that Edo will be an easy ride for us.
"We have seen what has happened in other parties, let us not rejoice because they are having their own challenges. We should be more focused on our own challenges, and we should be more focused to take that state back to PDP," the acting national chairman said.