‘My Vision of Transformative Leadership Will Benefit Edo State’
Come September 21st, 2024, the people of Edo State will go to polls to pick their Governor. Presently, the field is full and busy with candidates crisscrossing all the nooks and crannies of the State, preparatory to the primaries of the various political
ou have confirmed your intention to run for the office of Governor of Edo State in the upcoming election. The State Party platform on which you have chosen to run, the PDP, is said to presently be in disarray, as the leadership is on record to be factionalised. To what extent are you prepared to tackle this challenge?
I wouldn’t call it disarray. I think that elections generate strong positions, align and factionalise interests, and challenge individual temperaments in every party and that’s to be expected. Yes, there is undeniably some of that going on in the PDP, but we’ve seen that in other major parties also. So I don’t think the PDP has a monopoly on disagreement.
Having said that, I think my particular advantage in our context is that, I’m coming into the process without the baggage of past hurts and historical conflicts. That leaves me in a unique position to act as a unifier and mediator; and that’s what I’ve focused on. My stance is that nobody’s position should be discounted or dismissed as unreasonable, without being fairly heard. And, I have found - at least in the direct conversations I have had – that there is significantly more reasonableness than the hype would suggest.
I don’t take anyone for granted. I recognise the challenges within the PDP, and view them as an opportunity for reform and strengthening. In championing efforts to unite the various antagonists, my approach has been to engage with all factions to understand their concerns, to lean in with a mindset of inclusivity, and seek to align party objectives with the people's needs. Leadership, after all, is about building bridges, and I'm prepared to do just that to ensure our party achieves the unity required to work together for the advancement of Edo State.
My hope is that we can continue to have frank, respectful, and progressive discussions internally, and work together to secure the victory we are all after.
Why do you want to leave a thriving law practice to run for the office of Governor of Edo State, especially at this time, with all the socio-economic challenges facing our country?
It is precisely because of the socioeconomic issues facing our country, that I think people with a genuine love for the people, with demonstrated capacity, and a track record of results in other endeavours, must consider making themselves available to serve.
Personally, I have done this simultaneously for decades – building a law firm, alongside my national and State development contributions. I have been