A group under the umbrella of Concerned Stakeholders in Edo Central Senatorial district of Edo State has urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure that the former Chairman of Esan South East Local Government Council of Edo State, Hon. Joseph Ikpea picks the party’s ticket to replace Governor Monday Okpebholo in the senate, saying that he has all it takes to defeat other candidates in the forthcoming rerun by-election in the area.

It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is billed to hold election in the next three months to fill the vacant senatorial seat following the emergence of Senator Monday Okpebholo as governor of Edo State.

In a statement signed by Dr Eugene Oke on behalf of the group, they said, “We have looked around and checked the profile of most of the aspirants looking for the job and have found Hon. Ikpea as the best to represent Esan people in the Senate.

“We are grateful to entire people of Edo State for ensuring that an Esan man emerged as governor of the State, so it is a great plus for the Esan nation to have an accomplished business man and philanthropist in the person of Hon. Ikpea to occupy the vacant seat.

“As a former Chairman of Esan South East and Commissioner in the state, he has the experience and the name to deliver victory for the APC in the forthcoming by-election. Esan land needs development and people that can give us the desired dividends of democracy and with the antecedents of Ikpea both as LGA chairman where he dealt with the grassroot and a Commissioner in the state Executive Council we believe Esan will get to the promise land with him as a Senator.

“This is not the time for experiment, this is not the time for sentiments, we are appealing to the leadership of the APC and members of the APC in Edo Central to give Hon. Ikpea the ticket of the party and we can assure you that the entire Esan land will vote APC in the coming senatorial election.”