By Beifoh Osewele
The people of Edo State have been told to vote for the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Asue Ighodalo in Saturday’s governorship poll.
A total of 2,249,780 registered voters have collected their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in the state. This represents 85.57 per cent of the 2,629,025 total registered voters in the state. The election will hold in 4,519 polling units across the 192 wards in the state.
In a viral video, foremost accountant, writer and the Senior Pastor of Trinity House, Ituah Ighodalo, says his brother has the virtues and qualities not only to govern the state, but to do it well.
He listed the qualities to include focus, vision, determination, courage, humility and spirit of excellence.
“…For this generation and for this season, he is probably the best that we can ever get, even across the board,” he says in the four-minute video.
Hear him: “Asue has always been my elder brother, but we grew up more or less like friends and almost like twins. “There’s only one year and nine months between us, but there’s a lot of mutual respect. I can’t remember us quarreling seriously or fighting aggressively. He’s always been a little bit protective, and he’s that sort of backbone that you can ever rely on. And whenever I get into trouble, when I think of Asue, I’m very comforted.
“So, where we grew up in Ikpoba Slope (Benin City), all the kids there were all our friends. We’d come out in the morning, we’d play with them. Johnbull, Sunday Enehere, Sunday Ehakhoa, a whole bunch of them. We played with Tire, went hunting for little birds and little crickets, did our catapults and so on and so forth. Even from time to time, we’d go to the Ikpoba River to hang out. Going to Ikpoba was always a high point of most of our vacations, especially Easter time and sometimes at Christmas.
“We all would eat pounded yam out of the same bowl, all the kids, the grandkids of my grandfather. The exciting time was around nighttime when the moon came out. And all the elders would sit around, and they’d be talking, gisting and laughing and telling stories.
“As far as I’m concerned, for this generation and for this season, he is probably the best that we can ever get, even across the board Nigeria. The simple reason is that Asue is focused. Asue is visionary. Asue is determined. Asue is hardworking. Asue is humble. Asue is accessible. Asue is friendly. Asue is approachable. And he has this spirit of excellence and determination to make things better that is almost unmatchable.
“Growing up as children, like I said, Asue always took responsibility, even among his friends. I remember many, many years ago, he and his friends did something, and people were wondering what happened, and Asue stood up and took responsibility. He said I am responsible for this. Leave the other people. I’ll take the fall. And he took responsibility.
“Asue shows up. If he gives you his word, his word is his bond.
One thing also is Asue’s immense generosity. He’s an extremely generous man. There’s no amount of money that he has that he cannot give up. Even at family occasions and family functions, when it’s time to do something for the family, Asue is always the first to bring out his cheque. He takes full responsibility. He runs the programme. He doesn’t even wait to ask you about anything.
“You just feel that sense of comfort whenever he’s around. He has this way of gathering people together and keeping people together and making things go very smoothly. Most of his friends rely on Asue when they want honest, superior, fearless and truthful advice. Most of them.
“Most of them might even be wealthier than he is. But when they want to hear the truth, they come to Asue. Because Asue fears no one and favors no one. “He tells you the truth as it is. I think you don’t want to hear the truth. You want to take it. There’s no big deal.
So you find truth. You find reliability. You find focus. You find determination and you find courage; a very courageous man. The man may have zero money. But any challenge comes, he says somehow he will fix it. Something will happen. He says I’m David. God has a special purpose for me. And we’ll give him all the support.
I’m looking forward to a very exciting time in Edo State. And hopefully in Nigeria.
“If you really, really know Asue, you’ll love him.”
