Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Edo Governorship election, is no stranger to the multiplier effect. As Chairman of the boards of Nigeria’s most reputable organizations, he has seen how an initial effort can trigger a chain reaction that produces an outcome larger than the initial effort. His decisions have impacted the careers of thousands, and he understands the responsibility that comes with leadership.
He is running to bring this experience to bear as governor of Edo State. In a recent BBC interview, he demonstrated a clarity of purpose that is rare in Nigeria’s political ecosystem. Speaking fluently in the local pidgin, he outlined his plan to raise the state’s productivity, support the poor, and strengthen the role of government as an enabler.
Security is a top priority. Unlike his opponent, Senator Monday Okpebholo, who has vowed to provide the state with insecurity, but I understand it was a gaffe, Ighodalo plans to enhance the state’s security framework. He will focus on rural communities where commerce and agriculture have been disrupted by criminals.
Ighodalo connects the dots between this insecurity and the rising cost of living in Edo. Food and transportation costs are major inflationary pressures. By protecting farmers and transitioning them to mechanized farming, the state can achieve food availability and affordability. This, in turn, will give citizens more disposable income to spend in other sectors, driving growth and job creation.
Throughout the interview, Ighodalo showcased a system-thinking mindset, honed from his extensive experience in the corporate world where decisions are driven by data and competence is a valued quality. This approach sets him apart from others in the race, particularly his closest rival, whose incapacity for expression is made worse by his pedestrian governance ideas. For example, Okpebholo reduces the challenges in the state’s power sector to transformers and poles.
Dr. Ighodalo believes that government should protect the poor and preserve their dignity. As governor, he would introduce conditional grants to the disadvantaged, with the proviso that they learn a skill or start a trade through government support, so they can be graduated into the economy as active participants and sources of productivity.
He wants to provide a safety net that not only guarantees essential items to the needy but also helps them move up the social ladder. But this can only happen if the government’s revenue continues its growth trajectory. To achieve this, the reforms must continue to make the state safe for investments and conducive for business growth. Therefore, there must be no return to thugs and thuggery, which are vectors for the insecurity that the APC pledges.
Dr. Ighodalo reckons that a vote is an expression of trust. He appealed to the people of Edo State not to judge him only by what he says but also by his antecedents. By calling attention to his past, the candidate underscored how his previous roles prepared him for the position he is vying for, a unique trait that other candidates in the race cannot boast of. Certainly not the APC candidate, whose CV is featherweight.
Dr. Ighodalo is also not desperate for the job. This disposition allows him to maintain high ethical and moral standards, unlike his opponents. His campaign has been issue-based, as name-calling is not his style. When confronted with Oshiomhole’s words describing him as unelectable, he swatted the attack away by simply revealing Oshiomhole’s double standard. If Oshiomhole can go from tailor to governor with no known professional experience, why can’t a celebrated and proven builder and administrator like Ighodalo serve in the same capacity?
He opined that the petty remarks from the APC in Edo are consistent with an organization lacking in ideas. Their candidate has no manifesto, doesn’t engage in policy-based discussions, and requires assistance to complete a single coherent sentence. This implicitly raises the question of whether the people want to entrust their future to such a character surrounded by ignoble political characters and godfathers who are way past their best-before date.
A single decision can make or mar a state’s future. The multiplier effect of an illiterate governor who promises insecurity is undoubtedly a state where nothing grows except the personal fortunes of political godfathers. Edo must avoid this nightmare by rejecting the APC and electing Dr. Asue Ighodalo of the PDP.