Business activities and vehicular movements were brought to a standstill momentarily on Sunday the 19th of November, 2023 in parts of Ekpoma, the Esan West Local Government headquarters of Edo State, as the former Esan West local government council chairman, and former ALGON National President, Hon. (Dr.) Felix Ehiguse Akhabue JP aka JOEFEL, declared his intention to contest the Edo governorship election come 2024.
Hon. Joefel as He is popularly known was accompanied to the party secretariat by family, friends, PDP supporters, and past local government council executives from Esan West Local Government Area, as well as other leaders from other Senatorial Districts.
At the event, the former Edo State Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Cooperative, & Empowerment said he was in the race to bring more development to the people of Edo State. He also told the audience that He was in race to REVOLUTIONALIZE all sectors and aspects of the state for the better.
The Chairman, CEO of JOEFEL-SUPREME Conglomerates, and chairman of Uda Micro Finance Bank assured his audience that he was fully ready and prepared for the Job and all the necessary rudiments & processes leading to the actualization of the ambition. The former Chairman, United Cities and Local Governments of West Africa, and Africa as a whole, and also, the Former First Vice President, World Conference of Mayors also assured the PDP Faithfuls and all electorates that he is 💯 percent confident that H. E., Governor Godwin Obaseki will handover the mantle of governance to him come November 2024 in God’s grace.
The “Edo Homeboy” assured the people that as it was experienced during his tenure as Council Chairman before, He will certainly not fail or disappoint the confidence that the electorates would bestow on Him.
In his reaction, the LGA PDP Chairman welcome the aspirant and his entourage to the journey to Osadebe Avenue. He told the aspirant that a lot of persons are jostling for the party ticket, even though only one person will be granted the ticket by the party leadership & delegates. He however assured Joefel that himself and other members of the party are confident that the Joefel they know so well would succeed sufficiently on the Job of governance.
In another reaction, The former Council Chairman & former member of the House of Reps, Rt. Hon. Chief Joe Eghonghon Edionwele, KSC, eulogized the guber hopeful, expressing confidence about JOEFEL’s capability, reliability, and trust worthiness for the Job. He also recalled Joefel’s antecedents as Council Chairman with unprecedented success stories. He therefore assured Joefel of their support as he (JOEFEL) was the first person to declare his aspiration and showed his readiness for the task ahead within the LGA.
In another reaction, Hon. Zuberious Edeoghon also eulogized the aspirant, admonished the Party Leadership to act as fast as possible to create fairness, justice, and reasonability in dealing with the arrays of aspirants within the party in other to avoid crises that usually emanate after every party primaries. He also admonished those that are presently holding elected and appointed positiins that in spite of the fact that the constitution may allow them to contest, they should strive to continue and succeed in their present positions and avoid greed.
Zuberious therefore told the audience that his aspiration to contest for the same guber position before this day is hereby dropped, while declaring total support support for Jeofel candidacy and subsequent election.
Some of the party Chieftains present at the event included the LGA PDP Leader, Dr. (Chief) F. E. Ulinfun, KSC, former National Lawmaker; Rt. Hon. Chief Joe Eghonghon Edionwele, KSC, another former Guber Aspirant, Hon. Zuberious Emmanuel Edeoghon, The state Treasurer of the party, Chief Benjamin Ehilenbiaduaye, aka Caeser, The State Ass. Legal officer of the party, High Chief Bar. Paul Itua, aka Pablo, Bar Victory Idiakhoa, Bar. Ogbebor, aka Small Stone, former Esan west Council Chairman, Mr. John and Boro Ehizojie, Hon. Engr. Monday Abulu, Rev. (Dr.) Felix Obhakhan, Chief Eddie Ehiakhamen, Mr. Dedehide Enearu, Mr. Luke Abumere, Hon. Okiti, Local Government Secretary — Hon. Morrison Ehiemua, Pa. Ukpunu Eboehi, L. G. A. Women Leader, LGA party Exco members, political appointies and other officials to the LGC and state government, all ward Party Chairmen, Women Leaders, Youth and so many other party Faithfuls.