Edo 2024: Dr. Ernest Umakhihe Accepts APC’s Call to Join Governorship Race!

“You have the availability, visibility and capacity!) With these resounding pass marks, politicians, community leaders, youths and women drawn from the six local government area of Edo North, urged a man they say has brought unprecedented development to Edo North and other parts of Edo State and the nation at large, to join the race for the 2024 Edo governorship election.

Dr. Umakhihe and some leaders

Leaders appealing to Dr. Umakhihe

Community leaders and members in attendance

The coronation event happened last week when members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) drawn from the six local government areas of Edo North and community leaders converge on the residence of the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe to make passionate appeal to him to join the APC and join the 2024 governorship election in Edo State.

The leaders and members in their hundreds, said that Dr. Umakhihe has done well for Edo North people, Edo State and Nigeria in general, using his position as permanent secretary and as such, they want him to contest and change the face of Edo State.

Hon. Folly Ogedegbe

Hon. Daniel Asekhame

A leader stressing his point

“We want you to join this political party, APC, we want you to come out and contest for the office of governor of Edo State next year, after your retirement.

“We equally urge you not to turn us down, as everybody have said, we are a body of eminent Edo people, we are appealing on behalf of APC and all our communities. This is body put together by leaders of APC and Edo people to come and talk and appeal with you to come join APC for this movement.”

Representative of one of the several women groups

“You have done so well and we believe that you have the capacity to help revamp our state at this critical time and we have agreed to appeal to you to come and help deliver Edo and bring development to the entire state.” A former legislator in Edo state House of Assembly Mr. Folly Ogedegbe added.

Mr. Daniel Asekhame, former Owan West Local Government Council Chairman urged Dr. Umakhihe to join APC while reassuring him of unfiltered support. “We want you to consider it, to come and run for the governorship of the state and we are assuring you that if you do, we will be behind you and give you all the support that is required to succeed.”

An APC leader in Edo North

The APC leaders listed Umakhihe’s strength and niche advantage to include – ‘Availability’, ‘Visibility’ and ‘Capacity’. They reminded their host of these qualities and pleaded with him relentlessly not to turn them down.

While responding to the leader’s call, the civil servant, turned community leader, said he was delighted with the call by his people to come and serve them and therefore, accepted the call to join APC and also contest for the 2024 governorship election after his retirement from service.

Another APC leader in Edo North

“If my people say come, of course I will answer your call. I accept your call. I will work towards it in prayer, and at the end of it, we want to see the hand of God in this project.

“I want God to sustain this project, that is why I would not say no, and if God has said yes, no man can say no.” Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe said, amidst ovation.