By Ozioruva Aliu, BENIN CITY

There was heavy gridlock along Airport Road and adjourning streets in Benin City as Dr Asue Ighodalo on Wednesday officially declared his interest in contesting for the governorship of Edo State under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) saying that he desires to take Edo State to a height of making it the greatest state in Nigeria.

The declaration made at the Airport Road state secretariat of the PDP attracted leaders of the party from the three senatorial districts of the state including former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi who presented Ighodalo as the consensus aspirant from Edo Central Senatorial District.

Among other dignitaries in the ceremony where the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Blessing Agbebaku, his immediate predecessor and now a member of the House of Representatives, Hon Marcus Onobun, Former Speakers, Friday Itula and David Iyoha, Hon John Yakubu, Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Charity Aiguobarueghian, Prince Joe Okojie, former deputy governor, Mike Ogiadomhe, Hon Jonson Abolagba, Henry Tenebe, among several others.

Ighodalo said “my mission will be to create an Edo where quality education is accessible to all, where hard work is rewarded and where our talented youth can turn their dreams and aspirations into reality. I believe in the promise of an Edo where every person, regardless of their start in life, can write their own story of success -if we take the right steps, together.

“No part of Edo will be left behind. From the high plains of Kukuruku to the lush vegetation of Ilushi; from the rich, red sands of Sakponba, to Esanlands’ incredible biodiversity, we have all that is needed to make our state a mesmerizing destination for progress and wealth. Across each administrative zone, in Edo North, Edo Central and Edo South, we will create practical and focused economic development teams that will harness each area’s unique potential to create wealth for all our people.”

He said as governor, he would be the Chief Welfare Officer of the state and “Of course, no part of Edo can truly develop without the necessary infrastructure to facilitate growth. We will make it our urgent and pressing priority to build and maintain high-quality roads across Edo state, and take advantage of our unique location to connect our people to even greater opportunities that will flow from the passage of travellers transiting through our state. Beyond roads, we will build rail networks across the senatorial zones that will allow us to move not just our people and tourists but also agricultural produce, economic goods and finished products across, and beyond the state. We will continue and conclude ongoing plans to develop the Benin Port infrastructure that will raise real inclusive growth in the state substantially and qualitatively.”

Ikimi said Ighodalo emerged as the consensus aspirant from Edo Central after a painstaking meeting and consultations with leaders from the area.

The high point of the declaration was the official declaration of support for Ighodalo by all the aspirants who stepped down for Ighodalo.