In continuation of its consultations, the Advance Team of the immediate past Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, on Saturday [November 11, 2023] held a consultation meeting with APC stakeholders in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo Central Senatorial District.
The meeting, which was held at the Secretariat of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Igueben, was attended by the LGA Executive members, Ward Chairmen, Ward Women Leaders, former political office holders and other stakeholders in the Local Government Area.
The spokesperson of the team, Hon. Zibiri Mohammed thanked the people of Igueben for the warm reception given to the team upon its arrival at the Party Secretariat in Igueben.
He noted that the warm reception was an indication of the readiness of APC supporters in Igueben to work with all diligence for the emergence of the best candidate for the party, in preparation for Edo 2024 gubernatorial election.
The former Etsako West Local Government Council Secretary told the people that the Advance Team was in Igueben to inform the party stakeholders of the coming of Prince Clem Agba to interface and solicit their support in preparation for the forthcoming APC gubernatorial primary contest, preparatory to the next governorship election in Edo State.
He explained that Igueben Local Government Area was the first Local Government Area the team had visited in Edo Central Senatorial District.
According to him, “Prince Clem Agba spent a good part of his early life at Igueben and apart from the fact that he attended Advance College, Igueben, he has adequate knowledge of the environment and he has quite a good number of friends and associates from the local Government Area.
“This, in my view, necessitated his interest in the local government and accordingly facilitated some infrastructure projects to the local government area, which include the borehole project at the Central Hospital, Igueben.”
Hon Zibiri also told the people that APC, as a party, must join hands and put all necessary machinery in place to effectively engage the election process in order to reclaim the state from PDP and Godwin Obaseki in 2024.
He maintained that if the party must reclaim the state, it must look deeply and pick a candidate that has undoubted enormous competence, impeccable character, and who must be irrevocably committed to the development of Edo State.
He argued that among the numerous aspirants in APC, Prince Clem Agba outstandingly possessed all that was required to win the 2024 Edo election and with the deep trust and assurance to achieve the desired development of the state.
He enumerated some of the projects that were facilitated by Prince Clem Agba to Edo Central Senatorial District and Igueben Local Government Area while he was in office as the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning.
While assuring the people that Prince Agba would come personally to Igueben Local Government Area very soon to formally unfold his agenda to the party stakeholders, Hon Zibiri appealed to them to accept and support the aspiration of Prince Agba as the best option for the All Progressive Congress, APC.
On his part, Hon Seid Oshiomhole thanked the people and urged them not to relent in the quest to choose the best candidate with proven capacity to develop Edo State in 2024 .
He noted that it was politically unhealthy and unwise for people to advocate power, using ethnicity as a parameter.
He therefore urged them to ensure that the next governor of Edo State was considered in relation to competence, capacity, and experience.
Responding, the acting LGA Chairman of Igueben local government, Chief Sunday Okhuelegbe expressed his appreciation to the team for choosing Igueben Local Government Area as the first local government area to be visited in Edo Central Senatorial District by Prince Clem Agba’s team.
According to him, the people of Igueben had long grown beyond the sentiments of ethnic politics.
He said he was of the view that the person who the people wanted would perform, develop the state, and ensure the wellbeing of the people.
He, therefore, added that, at the appropriate time, “the people shall decide on the standard bearer in line with demonstrated ability to do the job, not who is a family member.”
He assured the team of his support ahead of the party’s primary election.
Those who also spoke at the meeting expressed their readiness to receive Prince Clem Agba as well as pledged their support for his governorship aspiration.
Other members of Prince Clem Agba’s Advance Team included the former Etsako West Local Government Council Chairman, Hon Alasa Idaro Muhammed, Mr Garuba Momoh and Chief Alhaji Shehu Musa Isiwele.
