Edo 2024: PDP’s Ighodalo tasks co-contestants on issued based campaigns as INEC officially kickoff campaigns
….Says he is ready for September election.
Yahaya Idris, Edo.
A People’s Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Edo State, for the September election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo is challenging co-contestants to focus on issue-based politics and campaigns, rather than resorting to personal attacks or mudslinging.
This, the hopeful PDP gubernatorial candidate made this known as campaigns for the Edo State governorship election slated for September officially kick-off today.
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Dr Asue Ighodalo, appealed to the other political parties participating in the election and their candidates in particular, to endeavour to focus on issues based, be decorous and not dwell on inanities.
“Let’s elevate the political discourse and focus on the issues that matter most to our citizens. Let’s present our visions, plans, and policies in a respectful and constructive manner, and let the voters decide who has the best ideas for our state’s future. Let’s show that we can disagree without being disagreeable, and that we can have differing opinions without resorting to personal attacks. Let’s campaign on the issues, and let the people decide.”
According to Dr Ighodalo, this approach can help to create a more positive and productive political environment, and can lead to a more informed and engaged electorate.
Ighodalo in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Asue Ighodalo Media Team in Benin City, the State capital, the PDP gubernatorial hopeful was quoted as saying that, “I sincerely believe that we are ready for the campaigns as the Independent National Electoral Commission has formally lifted the ban on public campaigns for the September election, beginning from tomorrow, April 24.
On our part, we are ready to play by the rules. We will focus on issues. Edolities want to know and hear us talk about what we are bringing to the table to solve the problems of insecurity, poverty, infrastructure and many more. We will make decorum our watchword.
“Therefore, I want to appeal to all the other political parties, and in particular, their candidates to please let us dwell on issues and not on inanities. We must do everything to avoid campaigns of calumny, character assassination, deliberately peddling falsehood against individuals and trying to tie and link them to what they know nothing about.
“We will be very deliberate and intentional in our campaigns by selling our manifesto to the electorate and persuading them to vote for us. We expect others to do the same. Let’s refrain from attacking individuals, personalities and stop throwing dirt and mud on people because of their political persuasions.
“If we all play by these rules, the atmosphere will be convivial for all of us and thus reduce the possibility of electoral hostilities and violence. We must bear in mind that we are brothers and sisters and all we want is the progress and development of our dear state,” Ighodalo declared.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in a statement on Monday by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, announced that campaigns for the election will begin today, Wednesday, April 24.
Olumekun said, “As provided by Section 92(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, campaigns by political parties in public shall commence not earlier than 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.
“Therefore, political parties are now permitted to start their campaigns in public from Wednesday, April 24 and end at midnight on Thursday September 19, as indicated in items 8 and 12 of the timetable and schedule of activities for the election.”
