The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has taken a dig at former governor, Adams Oshiomhole.
This comes after Oshiomhole claimed that Ighodalo is not electable and familiar with the people of Edo State ahead of the September 12 governorship election.
Ighodalo in his response during an interview with BBC Pidgin said Oshiomhole was a tailor, while he was a board chairman.
The host asked, “The former governor of Edo state, someone weh you work for his economic team, to offer your expertise and your experience, Adam’s Oshiomhole.”
He said, “Asue Ighodalo is not electable, he doesn’t understand the people, he doesn’t know Edo state. He can’t speak the language of his own village. Wetin go be your response to that?”
Ighodalo countered that Oshiomhole’s remarks were thoughtless, asserting that if Oshiomhole could govern for eight years with minimal experience, he as a seasoned board chairman who has employed ten thousand people, could certainly do better.
Ighodalo replied, “You know say, Comrade old pass me, so I get to respect him age, so I respect him age, not only just that, you know say Comrade marry person weh relate to me for village before, so because of that i get to respect that too.
“But those things weh he talk, IM himself know that those things weh he talk no correct, no be better thing he talk so. Me, I leave am, make I respect im age.
“Because you know say sometimes they always talk before he think.”
He emphasised that if he were not capable, he would not have been part of Oshiomhole’s economic team for eight years, offering valuable advice.
Ighodalo said, “Make I ask you one question?
“I advise am for eight years for his economic team. If all those things weh he talk, if I no Sabi do them, aw I dey his economic team for eight years?
“Economic team, different from the people na wetin I dey tell you, which work he do before he becomes governor, na tailor he takes start, I no talk say because Im be tailor no fit become governor.
“All his experience for life na tailor, but im do governor, and nobody tell you say e no dey electable, me weh don head boards, I don run companies, weh don employ ten thousand people, how he go talk say…. But me I no wan join issues with am.
“Our experiences differ, me I be chairman, him be tailor but e con do states.”
Ighodalo also highlighted his extensive global experience, which he believes has equipped him with the insights needed to address the challenges faced by Edo State.
Furthermore, Ighodalo stated that the decision on electability rests with the people of Edo State, not with Oshiomhole.
He added, “And he go talk say I no dey electable, no be people of Edo state go talk whether I dey electable or not. I dey with my people, I dey with my village people.
“Im before he becomes governor, how many worlds he go, me I don tour all the worlds. This is my second or third time I dey tour all the world.”