Vice President Kashim Shettima has implored the people of Edo State to vote for the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in next Saturday’s governorship election in the state, Senator Monday Okpebholo in order to birth a state that is functional.
According to Shettima, Edo State needs a strategic thinker, a builder, and a man of the people who can rally the people of the state at the moment.
In a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, the VP spoke on Saturday in Benin City, the Edo State capital, during the grand finale of the gubernatorial campaign of the APC held at the Sports Complex of the University of Benin.
“What Edo State needs is a strategic thinker, a builder, a man of the people, a man who can rally the great people of Edo State. Edo State needs a man who will open his doors to the people, hear their cries and lead with the fear of God. Edo does not need a man who knows it all. Edo needs a man who feels the pulse of his people, knows where it hurts, and has a story to tell in terms of where he is coming from.
“Edo needs a compassionate leader, one who is in tune with the yearnings and aspirations of Edo people. Edo needs a leader with the tenacity and knack for radical change and influence. Let me sum it up by quoting Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, who said ‘The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets people to do the greatest things.
‘’Therefore, in Senator Monday Okpebholo and his deputy, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, we have two gentlemen who will walk the talk. They will complement each other. The humility that has brought them thus far will also manifest in their governing of Edo State. With these two grassroots politicians and distinguished public servants, Edo will witness a positive redefining and reshaping of governance”.
In his remarks, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, corroborated VP Shettima’s position, just as he urged the people of Edo to vote for the party at the helm of affairs at the center in the forthcoming election to reap more dividends of democracy.
He disclosed that already, N212 billion has already been appropriated for the reconstruction of the Auchi-Benin road, which he said when completed, will boost economic activities in Edo State.
National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on his part, said the people of the state have suffered in the last eight years and they need to be liberated.
Ganduje said, “In the last eight years, Edo State has suffered and the state is now downgraded in terms of infrastructure, security, and general development. Benin should have the outlook of a modern city but today, it is looking for a person who will uplift the state. Monday is the person to do so.”
On his part, former Governor of the state, Senator Adams Oshiomhole stated, “Governance is about development; our roads and other infrastructure are dilapidated. Education has suffered a lot because the state does not have a State Universal Basic Education Board yet, the Governor has been benefiting from the Universal Basic Education Commission’s funds.
“Our future has been compromised by Obaseki. People of my age and the younger ones have not forgotten what is called “plan well”, a savings scheme championed by Asue, which defrauded the people.”
For his part, the APC governorship candidate, Senator Okpebholo appealed for support to change the tide in the State.
“We will give loans to our farmers through cooperatives; we will also give soft loans to market women. We will employ over 5,000 teachers within my first 100 days in office. We will build health centres across the 192 wards in Edo and we will declare a state of emergency on education,” he promised.
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