…..I Will Make Edo The Dubai Of Nigeria – ZLP’s Akhalame
……If Elected, Nobody Will Have To Leave Edo State For Treatment – AMP Candidate
Ibe Pascal Arogorn
Five candidates vying for the Edo Governorship seat on Friday pitched their plans for the state in a debate organised by Channels Television.
The candidates were Iboi Emmanuel of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Igbineweka Osamuede of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), Agol Tracy of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Jones Osajiobare of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Bishop Akhalame of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The debate was held in Benin-city ahead of the election, which is scheduled to hold on September 19.
DIG, AIG, Eight CPs Deployed For Edo Election
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has deployed top police officers for the Edo State governorship election on September 19.
Those deployed include the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Adeleye Olusola Oyabade; an Assistant Inspector General of police, Karma Hosea Hassan, and eight other commissioners of police.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba.
Oyebade, who will be assisted by Hassan, will superintend over the entire security architecture and ensure effective monitoring of the election and due enforcement of all electoral laws in the State.
“The DIG, with the assistance of the AIG, will superintend over the entire security architecture and ensure effective monitoring of the election and due enforcement of all electoral laws in the State.
“Other senior Police Officers similarly involved (in election monitoring and evaluation) include: CP Garba Baba Umar, CP Habu Sani and CP Buba Sanusi. CP Akeera M. Yonous will coordinate the operations of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) and other special strike forces.
“The other four (4) CPs will supervise security arrangement in the three senatorial districts of the State.
“They are: CP Omololu .S. Bishi and CP Abutu Yaro Edo North senatorial district, CP Philip Aliyu Ogbadu Edo Central Senatorial District and CP Olokade T. Olawale, Edo South Senatorial District,” the statement partly read.
IGP bars security aides from accompanying VIPs, Political appointees
Meanwhile the Inspector General of Police (I-G), Mr Mohammed Adamu has barred security aides from accompanying VIPs and political appointees during the Sept. 19 governorship election in Edo.
The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr Frank Mba said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
He said the I-G had warned that anyone who flouted the order would be severely reprimanded.
Mba said the I-G had also deployed the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of Research and Planning, Mr Adeleye Oyabade to supervise the general security arrangement for the election.
“He the DIG will be assisted by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Federal Operations, Mr Karma Hassan and eight other commissioners of Police.
The DIG, with the assistance of the AIG, will superintend over the entire security architecture and ensure effective monitoring of the election and due enforcement of all electoral laws during the election,” he said.
He said the arrangement was in line with efforts of the police at ensuring apt coordination of security arrangements towards a hitch free election in the state.
The FPRO said the I-G had charged officers and men on election duties in the state to ensure they work in line with standard best practices and adhere strictly with the approved Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for the elections.
He said the I-G called on members of the public, particularly politicians, gubernatorial candidates and other relevant stakeholders in the state to cooperate with the police and other security agencies.
He said the call was to assist the security agencies to perform their patriotic task of guaranteeing a hitch free governorship poll in the state.
YPP Candidate Promises To Employ 1,800 People Within Three Months
The candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in the Edo Governorship election, Jones Osagiobare says he will employ 1,800 people within three months if elected leader of the South-South State.
Osagiobare’s comment came as a response to a question about his plans to tackle unemployment in Edo State.
The governorship candidate of the YPP believes without security, there will be no investment.
The candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in the Edo Governorship election, Jones Osagiobare says he will employ 1,800 people within three months if elected leader of the South-South State.
Osagiobare’s comment came as a response to a question about his plans to tackle unemployment in Edo State.
“When the YPP is voted into government, for the first three months, we shall give jobs to 1,800 people,” Osagiobare disclosed on Friday during the Edo State Governorship election debate series organised by Channels Television.
“From every local government, we will select able-bodied people; 100, to form the security outfit of this state.”
The YPP candidate explained that those who will be employed will be absorbed into the local vigilante groups in existence across the state.
He equally gave an insight into how the said persons will be recruited and disclosed that 100 persons will be employed from each of the eighteen local governments in the state and will be trained by the Police.
“We will pay them from security votes that is given to the government on a monthly basis,” the 52-year-old businessman added.
To further manage the activities of vigilante groups, Mr Osagiobare said he will set up the Edo State Security Management Agency if elected as governor.
“I will, immediately within the first 30 days, set up the Edo State Security Management Agency,” Osagiobare who hails from Ikpoba Okha said.
“This agency will be responsible for the activities of vigilantes within the state under one platform”.
The planned agency, he said, will also check criminality, thuggery and curb all forms of violence “and indiscipline and return the state to where it belongs,” adding that the “agency will be responsible for the payment of salaries for the vigilantes. ”
According to him, tackling insecurity is important because no state can attract investors when it is not safe.
I Will Make Edo The Dubai Of Nigeria – ZLP’s Akhalame
The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) governorship candidate in Edo State, Bishop Akhalame, has bemoaned the bane of what he describes as bad leadership in the state.
Akhalame said if elected as the governor of the state come September 19, he will turn around the economic fortunes of the state thus making it the Dubai of Nigeria.
He disclosed this on Friday during a governorship debate in Benin City, the state capital.
“As I am offering myself to the good people of this state, the problem of bad leadership in the state is solved already because I have all it takes to drive the economy of this state and make it the Dubai of Nigeria,” he said.
The 40-year-old Akhalama, an accountant by training, said the people of the state need a governor who is knowledgeable, compassionate, and accountable.
He claims to possess all it takes to take the state to greater heights, adding that his administration will address the unemployment of youths.
When asked how his party intends tackling the unemployment scourge that makes the state lead in the south-south region, Akhalame said the ZLP has the solution to the menace.
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The Zenith Labour Candidate (ZLP) candidate in the Edo State governorship election, Bishop Akhalame speaks during the governorship debate in Benin City on September 11, 2020.
“That is why the Zenith Labour Party and Bishop Akhalame is the solution. You cannot be a good governor if you don’t have the database of your people.”
“The first thing I will do to curb the issue of unemployment is to create a database for my people. I want to know my people because I am not going to be a governor for myself,” he said.
Speaking further, the governorship hopeful said his administration will revive the dead industries in the state in order to keep the people gainfully employed.
In addition, he promised to establish Edo bakery in the three senatorial districts of the state, adding that bread is the food of the common man.
According to him, agriculture can fix unemployment in the state and also feed the people, pledging to engage the youth in agricultural activities by providing them with fertile land.
If Elected, Nobody Will Have To Leave Edo State For Treatment – AMP Candidate
The candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) in the Edo State governorship elections, Igbineweka Osamuede, has promised to revamp the healthcare system in the state if he is elected governor.
At a governorship debate hosted by Channels Television in Edo State on Friday, Osamuede said under his administration, he would ensure that residents don’t have to leave the state for their healthcare needs.
“With my government, the problems in healthcare will be a thing of the past. I don’t think anybody will leave Edo State to go outside the country for any treatment,” he said.
Speaking further, Osamuede said he will look into the establishment of technical schools, grant loans for small scale businesses and explore the cultural heritage of the Edo people.
However, to deliver those projects, the AMP candidate said the state needs to generate more money.
According to him, the previous governments have borrowed so much money, now leaving the state in debt.
“Edo State is owing a lot of money right now because the government has been borrowing. The past administration and this present one have borrowed a lot and what they have been using it for is just infrastructure and in my own time, if I come in, with a very good understanding of the House of Assembly members, we can raise funds outside the country. We are only going into the trading platforms and we will generate funds from there,” he said.
“Also, allocation is coming from the Federal Government, when it comes, we can be able to invest in all the projects we are talking about.
“One of them will be technical schools for each of the three geopolitical zones. We can build it and educate these youths.
“Secondly, cultural heritage; Edo state has a whole lot of cultural heritage. We have a whole lot of stories to tell and we can go into this industry.
“We will invest in small scale businesses by granting loans”.
My Government Will Not Borrow Money, Says NNPP Candidate
The candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the upcoming Edo governorship election, Tracy Agol on Friday said her administration will not borrow money.
Agol revealed this during an election debate organised by Channels Television.
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“Edo state is blessed and very rich,” she said. “What we need to do is to look inward. There are natural resources that are yet unharnessed; why are we not going to look that way.
“We have coconut farming and with all its by-products, we can harness them for exports. Those are ways to generate funds. We don’t need money from outside this country. There is money in this country and there is money in this state.
“My government, the government of NNPP, the government of Ambassador Ebunoluwa Tracy Agor will not borrow money. We will look inward on how to promote Edo people.”
Agol, the only female candidate among the five who debated on Friday, also said she will create a joint task force to secure the state.
She said her administration will ensure the task force work round the clock to curb crime.
“And for those of our youths that are involved in different vices here and there, we are going to make sure that we will rehabilitate them when they are apprehended,” she said. “Some of them need to see the psychiatrist.”
I Will Bring Change’ To The Education Sector If Elected, Says ADP Flag-Bearer
The candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Oboi Emmanuel is promising to bring “change” to the education sector if elected as the governor of Edo State.
Oboi said this on Friday during the Edo State Governorship election debate series organised by Channels Television.
“When the electorate decides to vote for the ADP come September 11th, we would bring change to the educational sector,” the 36-year-old explained.
“We are going to revamp the educational sector.”
The ADP candidate claimed that many “government schools do not have labs. I can tell you that if you go to government schools, you would see bushes and grasses everywhere.”
He equally lamented that the educational legacy of the immediate past government of Adams Oshiomhole has been abandoned and decried the dearth of infrastructure in public schools in the south-south state.
“The red roof revolution by the previous government is decaying,” the youngest candidate in the election noted even as he questioned “the importance of building structures without intellectual structures?”
Oboi Emmanuel wants to tackle unemployment via revamping the agricultural sector of Edo State
The candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Oboi Emmanuel is promising to bring “change” to the education sector if elected as the governor of Edo State.
Oboi said this on Friday during the Edo State Governorship election debate series organised by Channels Television.
“When the electorate decides to vote for the ADP come September 11th, we would bring change to the educational sector,” the 36-year-old explained.
“We are going to revamp the educational sector.”
The ADP candidate claimed that many “government schools do not have labs. I can tell you that if you go to government schools, you would see bushes and grasses everywhere.”
He equally lamented that the educational legacy of the immediate past government of Adams Oshiomhole has been abandoned and decried the dearth of infrastructure in public schools in the south-south state.
“The red roof revolution by the previous government is decaying,” the youngest candidate in the election noted even as he questioned “the importance of building structures without intellectual structures?”
To create employment for the teeming masses, Oboi disclosed that he will partner with the private sector and revamp agriculture in the state.
He accused politicians in the state of not being sincere to the people over the years, vowing to correct that if he becomes the governor.
“Let me tell you the truth, the government have not been sincere,” he claimed, disclosing that he will also eradicate erosion in Edo.
“I came out because of what is happening in Edo State and to bring my transformation agenda that will eradicate erosion.”
The Edo Governorship election will take place on September 19th, 2020.
