In an appearance that can only be politely described as laughable, the APC candidate for the September 21, 2024 Edo governorship election, Senator Monday Okpebholo, finally emerged from months of avoiding public scrutiny to meet virtually with the Akoko Edo Forum via Zoom. What followed was a spectacular disaster that has left his team scrambling to limit the damage, abruptly cutting the session short under the pretext of another meeting.

Okpebholo's performance was nothing short of a train wreck. His faltering delivery and glaring ignorance were on full display, exposing his utter unpreparedness for the role of governor. As he stumbled through his responses at times even deteriorating to combative exchanges with the forum members, it became painfully clear that Okpebholo lacks even the most basic understanding of the issues facing Edo State. The embarrassment was palpable, and they had no choice but to hastily end the session, hoping to avoid more gaffes.

This fiasco is a glaring reminder of the APC’s incompetence and their audacity in presenting such a vacuous candidate to the people of Edo State. Okpebholo’s ineptitude is not an isolated incident but rather a reflection of the APC’s broader failure to provide effective leadership. For months, the APC has been trying to hide Okpebholo from public view and keep him from speaking, and now we understand why. His disastrous performance has made it abundantly clear that he is completely out of his depth.

The call must be sounded loud and clear that Edo State deserves better than this embarrassing spectacle. The stakes are too high to entrust the future of our state to someone as unqualified and clueless as Monday Okpebholo. The APC’s attempt to foist this mediocrity upon us is an insult to the intelligence of Edo voters. We need a leader who is competent, knowledgeable, and genuinely committed to the welfare of our people.

Enter Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the towering contrast to the APC’s train wreck in the making. Ighodalo is everything Okpebholo is not: articulate, well-prepared, and deeply knowledgeable about the issues that matter most to Edo State. His vision for economic revitalization, infrastructure development, and improved public services stands in stark contrast to the empty rhetoric and blunders of the APC’s candidate.

Ighodalo’s proven track record in law, economics, and corporate governance makes him uniquely qualified to lead Edo State into a brighter future. His commitment to transparency, integrity, and inclusive governance is exactly what our state needs. Unlike the APC, which has shown time and again that it cannot be trusted with the reins of power, the PDP under Ighodalo’s leadership promises a sustained era of progress and prosperity.

The choice before well intended Edo voters is clear. We can either continue down the path of incompetence and failure with the APC and their embarrassing candidate, or we can vote for real growth and progress with Dr. Asue Ighodalo. Edo State cannot afford to fall into the APC’s hands with their national record of mismanagement and empty promises. It’s time to reject the APC’s vacuous candidate and embrace a leader who truly understands the needs and aspirations of our people.

Edo voters, the power is in your hands. Vote wisely. Vote for competence, vision, and integrity. Vote for Dr. Asue Ighodalo, and let’s build a better future for Edo State together.

•Omoregie Ogbebor writes from Benin City.

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