Francis Ogbuagu 
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, to a debate with its own candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo.
The PDP in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, noted that while Dr Ighodalo was busy engaging the people of Edo State on issues ahead of the election, Senator Okpebholo failed to articulate any purposeful campaign manifesto, ideas or plan that could benefit the people of the State.
“While the PDP candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, continues to marshal out detailed people-based and development-oriented manifesto that embodies the yearning and aspiration of the people of Edo State in every sector of life, the APC candidate in contrast only gropes with pitiable absence of ideas and lack of understanding of the intricate demands of governance,” the party stated.
PDP said this explains why Okpebholo has been avoiding the media and town hall engagements with the people of Edo State.
According to the party, the APC candidate’s alleged deficiency of ideas makes him unelectable, adding that he does not possess the required competence, capacity, experience and proficiency to govern.
“This lack of capacity explains why the APC candidate has largely remained quiet and uninspiring on the floor of the Senate and cannot point to any tangible development project he attracted to Edo State in his capacity as senator,” the party stated.
It maintained that Senator Okpebholo is
ineligibility to contest the governorship election over alleged forgery of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) voter card and his own birth documents.
“Nigerians now know the reason the APC governorship campaign in Edo State remains comatose, completely devoid of issues and unable to attract any serious attention from the voting population in the state.
“This is why the APC and its leaders are frustrated and now resort to smear campaign, promoting and instigating violence, having realised that Monday Okpebholo is no match for PDPs’ Dr. Asue Ighodalo whose popularity, public acceptance, track record of impactful performance in the corporate world and vision for Edo State have completely dwarfed and dumbed the APC ahead of the election,” the party added.
