With 31 days to go, Dr Asue Ighodalo, the high-flying candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, has firmly secured the endorsement of the highly influential segment of the Edo society — the Edo Diaspora both in Europe and the United States of America.

This followed his hugely successful tour of five cities in Europe and three in the United States, where he engaged hundreds in fully packed halls, sharing his vision and dreams for Edo State that are succinctly captured in his "The Pathway to Prosperity for All" manifesto.

In Edo State, the Diaspora community plays a very significant role in influencing the pattern of voting back home. The engagements which began on Monday, June 24, ran through June 29 for the Europe itinerary and saw him holding crucial meetings with sons and daughters of Edo State in five major cities across Europe.

His first port of call was Reggio Emilia, Italy, on June 24th. He then moved to Manchester, UK, on 26th; London, UK, on 27th; Hamburg, Germany, on 28th and Nuremberg, Germany, on 29th of June.

In all these engagements in Europe, the outcome was the same - an unequivocal endorsement of his aspirations and visions for the state. The Edo Diaspora communities, having interacted with him, listened to his presentations and his answers to their questions, and convinced of the clear and unambiguous difference between Ighodalo and other candidates, are resolute that Dr Asue Ighodalo should be the next governor of Edo State.

Ighodalo then stormed the United States of America last week from August 12 to 16, where he met with the people in Houston, Texas; Atlanta and New York, recording huge successes in all the outings.

Somebody reportedly joked openly that: "This is our choice. He knows the difference between a Zoo and a Museum," to a roaring, hearty laughter.

Of course, that Ighodalo is the choice of the Edo Diaspora communities is hardly surprising. His candidacy has enjoyed a tremendous approval rating both at home and abroad. And this is due largely to his unassailable credentials as the most competent of the lot, the man with the requisite capacity, and a man with a vast network of connections. People also point to his enviable pedigree and antecedents and the fact that his is generally known for his compassion and emotional sensitivity. All these are said to be responsible for the huge acceptance and the ever growing support he enjoys to the chagrin of his opponents.

Interestingly and in clear contrast, the candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Monday Okpebholo, who also went on a similar trip to the United States returned with a huge and irreparable blow to his image and campaign as the trip clearly exposed his deficiencies. His inability to articulate and coherently communicate his ideas and thoughts exposed him as a man not suited for the post of Edo State governor. What is more baffling was his inability to differentiate between a Zoo and a Museum and many more gaffes which effectively set the tone for the unraveling of his ambition and campaign. He's yet to recover from it.

The question many people have asked is that how important and to what extent would engaging the Diaspora communities influence the election back at home? The truth of the matter is that the Edo Diaspora has proven to be very significant in such matters because as a people they play very influential roles in the lives of those back at home. Their contributions are a major economic driver for those back home.

More importantly, members of the diaspora communities wield significant influence as they serve as leaders of thought in various social/political groups and as the breadwinners of many families in many communities at home.

And to that extent, their opinions on the leadership of the state matters greatly, and they clearly have thrown their massive weight behind Ighodalo.

Ighodalo was able to demonstrate the fact that it is possible to have the type leadership qualities associated with first-world countries where the Edo Diaspora communities are based.

With the Edo Diaspora in Europe and the United States effectively in the bag, Ighodalo's chances in the September 21 election are by far brighter than those of his opponents.

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