Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo,
is the right man to take Edo State to the next level.
Vice President Shettima made the remarks in Benin City at
the grand finale campaign rally in support of the party’s candidate ahead of
next Saturday’s governorship election.
He assured the people of the state of the Federal
Government’s commitment to supporting the incoming government’s efforts to
develop the state.
The vice president, who described the APC candidate as a
seasoned leader with a proven track record of excellence, assured that the
Federal Government would work tirelessly to ensure that Edo State receives the
support it deserves.
While stressing the importance of unity and peace in
achieving progress, he noted that the signing of the peace accord by the party
without hesitation shows its dedication to putting the interests of Edo above
all else.
He noted that with the increase in allocation to states, the
incoming government would have the resources to bankroll developmental projects
in the state.
According to him, “I am a man who feels it all and has a
story to tell. I understand the struggles of Edo State, and I am committed to
being part of the solution.”
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji
Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, urged the electorate to vote en masse for the APC
candidate on Sept 21.
“The clouds of intimidation have lifted, and the ground is
fertile for our party’s vision to flourish. Edo has become a symbol of literary
and economic resurgence,” he stated.
He also praised the state’s party leadership, adding that
their commitment to the party is unwavering, and acknowledged their tireless
efforts.
In his address, shortly after receiving the party’s flag,
Okpebholo promised to revive the economy of the state, describing the eight
years of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s government as a failure.
Okpebholo said Edo people had suffered for long and voting
out the PDP remained the only way to stop it.
“Our mumu don do, and by voting for the APC, we are voting
for education, security, social infrastructure, good healthcare services, and
agriculture.”
“Under agriculture, we are going to provide loans for our
farmers and soft loans for our market women,” he added.
He promised to employ 10,000 teachers, half of whom, he
said, would be employed within the first 100 days in office.
The APC candidate described the state of basic education in
the state as dire, saying there were no teachers in basic schools.
He also promised to declare a state of emergency on
infrastructure, decrying the deplorable state of roads in the state.
Other APC stalwarts who canvassed votes for the party’s
candidate at the rally included the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Senator
Adams Oshiomhole, and Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River, who is the chairman
of the national governorship campaign council for the state election.
The rally was attended by a massive crowd of APC supporters,
state governors from across the six geopolitical zones of the country, among
others.
