Peoples Democratic Party, on Sunday, challenged the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming Edo State governorship election, Monday Okpebholo, to debate with its candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said at a press conference that their findings indicate Ighodalo is receiving significant support from the public and is on track for a decisive victory.
Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed the Edo State governorship election for September 21.
APC, PDP, and their candidates, Okpebholo and Ighodalo, have already started campaigning throughout every corner of Edo State.
Ologunagba said, “We challenge the APC candidate to make himself available to media interview and scrutiny. If Monday Okpebholo is indeed putting himself for public office, he should make himself available for public scrutiny.
“Monday Okpebholo should stop running from the media if he has anything to offer to the good people of Edo State. PDP insists that Okpebholo should make himself available for a public debate.”
According to Ologunagba, the PDP is conducting a vigorous, issue-focused campaign that has reached every corner of Edo State.
He added, “This is evident in the organic crowd and followership in our rallies across all the Wards in the State, where the majority of Edo people, including prominent members of the APC, have publicly expressed support for our Candidate.
“You will observe that in Edo State today, it is our candidate that is campaigning. Asue Ighodalo’s popularity and acceptability by the majority of the people of Edo State have dwarfed, dumbed and incapacitated the APC and its candidate, Monday Okpebholo.”
Ologunagba claimed that the APC candidate, Okpebholo, is avoiding campaigning or interacting with the public because he recognizes that he cannot compete with Ighodalo.
He said Okpebholo lacked the capacity, competence, and substance to offer to the people of Edo State.
“No wonder the APC candidate has been avoiding the media and town hall engagements with the people of Edo State. He is afraid to be confronted with the issues of lack of capacity and allegations which he has failed to respond to,” he said.
