The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2024 governorship election in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, on Monday, stated that the state remains a PDP stronghold despite the alleged daylight robbery orchestrated by political oppressors and the ruling party.

He said that without the ‘legal magic’ done by political oppressors to the party, the PDP will, any day and at any time, defeat any political party overwhelmingly in Edo State.

Ighodalo spoke in Benin during a PDP stakeholders meeting, where he expressed appreciation to all supporters and party leaders across the state, saying he had come to thank the Edo people for believing in him and for the support they had provided thus far.

“I want to thank you all. Edo is PDP. All of you, my people, I come before you to say thank you. I will soon visit the three Senatorial Districts in the state to say thank you to everyone who worked and voted for the PDP.

“Despite what they did to us… we won overwhelmingly. We went to vote, and we won, beating them overwhelmingly.

“We stood out despite their intimidation, arrest of our youths and leaders, including PDP supporters.

“All I want to ask of us is that we stay courageous and strong. Let us all calm down and keep encouraging each other.

“Edo people are calm people. We thank you for your courage. I specifically thank the Edo people and the leadership of the PDP in Edo for all the support, starting from the PDP primary election to the Edo governorship election. All I have to say is thank you to everyone,” he said.

Earlier, the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, said all members must work in unity and remain steadfast in their efforts to ensure victory for the people by supporting any move to unseat the ruling APC.

In his speech, Matthew Iduoyekemen, Director General of the Asue Ighodalo Campaign Council for the 2024 Edo governorship election, stated that the Edo people supported and voted for the PDP, but noted that certain institutions worked against them.

Iduoyekemwen said that with these institutions working against the opposition party, “we do not see how we can win any by-election in the scheduled August 16 Ovia Federal Constituency and the Edo Central Senatorial District by-elections coming up soon.”

He noted that “the PDP that we have today doesn’t have the capacity to challenge the ruling APC,” calling on all leaders and members of the party to, as a matter of urgency, do whatever they can to achieve victory for the people come 2027, regardless of their political platform.

On his part, Senator Ehigie Uzamere urged all and sundry to sacrifice for two years, adding that PDP leaders and supporters must pay the price for a better nation by coming together to unseat the ruling APC in 2027.