Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo Central Senatorial District have queued behind the choice of Joe Ikpea to fill the vacant seat created by Senator Monday Okpebholo who then represented the district at the national assembly, saying that the position is not for a neophyte.
Addressing Journalists in Benin, a chieftain of the party from Esan South East Local Government Area, Elder Sam Eboigbe, described him as the right person for the vacant senatorial seat.
He recalled that the senatorial aspirant did very well as a Council chairman and also as a Commissioner, adding that he, Eboigbe, as one of the leaders of the party in Edo Central, he will throw his support behind him.
“He did well as a Local Government chairman and as a Commissioner.
“He is the right person for that seat. We shall support him and we are preparing him for the seat. I know that there are other contestants to the senatorial seat but we are preparing Joe Ikpea to go for the vacant seat of the Senate.
“During the governorship race, we had about 29 aspirants in Edo State and out of the 29, one came up under the APC. So, if we are looking for one person for the Senatorial seat in Edo Central, that one person is Ikpea”, Eboigbe said.
Also speaking Engr. Michael Ehitoya Kuku from Esan West Local Government Area of the state, said Ikpea is a grassroot politician who cares for his people.
He said: “Joe has been on ground and knows what the people want. He is not an outsider. He is somebody who knows what his people want. He is a man of few words but full of action.
“He is a man that is loved by all and hated by none. I can tell you that the leadership of the APC from the national to the grassroots level, know his capability.
“They know that he has the ability to provide maximum representation at the Senate for Edo Central Senatorial District.”
For Prosper Iyere, from ward 7 in Esan South East Local Government Area of the state, said he has carried out a comparative analysis on those vying for the position and he has zeroed on Ikpea as the aspirant to beat for the vacant senatorial seat.
“At this time of our lives as youths, it is important to look at the comparative advantage of individuals, the credibility of individuals, the focus and mindset of individuals coming up for election to represent our interest.
“The young people have vested interest in who becomes what and how they become what within the senatorial district.
“At this time, Hon. Joseph Ikpea is a perfect fix to represent Edo Central at the National Assembly at the next fill-up senatorial election. And I’m quite confident that he will deliver and I can tell you that for free.
“Hon. Joseph has been one-time this and one-time that. He has been a member of SUBEB in Edo State, he has been a member of Edo State Library Board; he has been a Local Government chairman, he has been a Special Adviser; he has been a Commissioner for Oil and Gas in Edo State.
“And we can look at the historical antecedents of this great man that we call Hon. Joe Ikpea otherwise known as Big Joe”, Iyere said.
Other chieftains of the party who spoke include, Mr. Augustus Eriaria from Igueben local government,
Mr. Saturday Iyoha from Esan North East and Mr. Eugene Okoloise, from Esan Central.
