A group, Rescue Edo Movement has alleged that the governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki will unveil, market and get corporate endorsement for the Chairman of Alaghodaro Economic Summit, Mr. Asue Ighodalo as his preferred candidate for the Edo 2024 governorship election.
The Convener of the group and the immediate past Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Andrew Emwanta disclosed this on Tuesday while addressing a press conference in Abuja.
He stressed that while other states in Nigeria are celebrating visible development in critical sectors, Edo State is experiencing visible underdevelopment in almost every sector.
The former commissioner noted that the only visible development was the renovation of the abandoned civil/public service buildings and the digitisation of the work environment of civil/public service offices within Benin City.
Emwanta alleged that N50 billion of Edo was spent on this project, with only one foreign building contractor engaged in the entire exercise.
He stated: “The annual Alaghodaro summit has become a propaganda vehicle for marketing the fraud behind the underdevelopment of Edo State. It is a sad story of public funds being converted into private investments by the aid of publicly funded private.
“From tomorrow (Wednesday), which is the 8th day of November 2023, the Governor will assemble some members of his government, fellow technocrats, his consultants, his Lagos paddies, business partners, fellow golfers, his political party members, some family members and inlaws in Government Benin city, to celebrate what he named some years ago as “Alaghodaro summit”.
“May I seize this opportunity to appeal to the Governor to save taxpayers’ money by simply going straight to the point in his planned Alaghodaro media jamboree for this year. His main plan for this year’s Alaghodaro summit is to unveil, market and get corporate endorsement for the Chairman of Alaghodaro Economic Summit (Nig)Ltd/Gte, Mr. Asue Ighodalo as his preferred candidate for the Edo 2024 governorship election.”
Emwanta noted that Edo people are too sophisticated to fall for the lie that Obaseki prefers the governorship of the State should shift to Edo Central.
Emwanta noted that as the state moves into the electoral season of the 2024 governorship election in Edo state, saying it has become imperative to address certian topical issues that would help the people of Edo make the right choice.
He emphasised that from the time Edo was known as Midwest, the State has never been as backward as it is under the present regime.
Emwanta said that Obaseki has no doubt set a new benchmark of underdevelopment within the subnational sphere in Nigeria, when the economy of Edo State is x-rayed without the aid of the propaganda lenses.
He stressed that Edo is at a crossroads, looking for redemption, adding that the group would search for a person who has what it takes to lift Edo State from its present state.