From Tony Osauzo IBenin
Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Godwin Obaseki yesterday, promised to upgrade the Technical College in Igarra, Akoko Edo Local Government Area to become an affiliate of Edo University, Iyamho.
Addressing a rally at Igarra, Akoko Edo Local Government Area Obaseki said :“I want to declare my contract with the Akoko Edo people. My contract with them is one, to provide jobs for the young and not so young.
“These jobs will be created from agriculture, investments in mining; to make sure people from this place can work anywhere in Nigeria. I will upgrade the Technical College. I will make sure that my government and the investments I am bringing, will invest in the technical college to train many youths so that they can work in those factories.
“We would affiliate the Technical College to the Edo State University, Iyamho. In the area of mining, I pledge to Akoko Edo that of the almost 60 licences, 20 will be operational before the end of our tenure. I pledge that the cement factory will become operational in my tenure.
“Because I am bringing industries and investors, I will make sure that Akoko Edo is secured to safeguard our investments. I pledge to Akoko Edo that Ojurami dam will be resuscitated, because all the factories we are bringing will need water and the people will also need water.
“I pledge to Akoko Edo people that all the roads inside Igarra will be fixed. I pledge that because I am bringing factories, they will need electricity to operate, so we will restore constant power supply. I pledge that our women will benefit from the microfinance so they will have money to improve their businesses. Ibilo market will be of interest to our government” he promised.
Earlier, Obaseki had visited the Palace of the Otaru of Igarra, HRH Oba Emmanuel Adeche Saiki 11, where he received the blessings of 11 traditional rulers. He assured the traditional rulers that his government will not relent on its promises to transform the area through investors.
Group holds guber debate August 16
By Bolatito Adebayo
Ahead of the forthcoming elections, a group, Eggheads limited is organising a debate for the contestants entitled, “ The Mandate.”
The event which will hold on August16, 2016 at Protea Hotel, Benin will be used as a platform for every candidate to share his vision and plans so that the people of the state can have an opportunity to assess them.
Augusta Peter who is the coordinator of The Mandate Governorship Debate, said that people have often complained during electioneering period and after that the choice of candidates will determine the failures or performance of the government afterwards.
In her words: “We have done this, year in, year out; we cannot solve a problem with the same approach; same thinking we used when we created them. We must get to know them, their competencies and pedigree.”
Peter added: “The candidates have therefore been presented an equal opportunity and platform to sell their suitability and vision. We are looking for people with true passion, the capacity to run and grow the state at The Mandate.”
The people in Edo State, she said, are excited about knowing what the gubernatorial candidates from the different parties have to offer before they can make their choices in the coming election.
She said the debate is designed for each candidate to show in-depth knowledge of the issues facing the state, tell the live audience their developmental plans and prove they are ready to lead the people progressively. She also stated that The mandate is a great channel for the people of Edo to make proper decisions during the election without bias or sentiments.
“We are looking for people with true passion, capacity to run and grow the state at The Mandate.”Peter emphasized.
I’m most qualified –Nowamagbe, UPP candidate
Governorship candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Mr. Sheddrach Nowamagbe, a musician by profession who goes by the stage name, Adviser Nowamagbe, has said as an entertainer, he is the most qualified candidate for the gubernatorial election.
He stated this while fielding questions from journalists shortly after being presented with Merit Media Award at the weekend in Benin City.
According to him, going by the nature of his profession as a musician, he has gotten more than what it takes to be the governor of the state, as all the co-contestants dance to the tune of music whenever it’s being played.
“I have every credibility to do that because you know my antecedents already because Oshiomole is a tailor; he has never sewn any clothe in Government House; Obaseki their candidate, who I do not know if he is the candidate because it is Oshiomole that is campaigning for him, he is a banker and he is not going to the Government House to count money.
“Pastor Ize-Iyamu, my tight friend, is a pastor, he is not going to Government House to read Bible. So, for that simple reason, as you can see, let me tell you, I am number one among all those candidates.
“Any time you see Oshiomole on stage, what does he do? Dancing? What of Ize-Iyamu? Singing and dancing. So, musicians always give joy. When you play music in the bush, snakes will refuse to bite you”, he said.
Nowamagbe who debunked the rumour making the rounds that he has not been campaigning like other governorship candidates, said he does not believe in noise making but in a systematic campaign. “I have started my campaigns. You do your campaign in a different way. It is not when you are making a noise in the streets that you do your campaign. My name is a household name. They know me in the eighteen local governments, 192 wards and 2,367 units.
For that simple reason, anywhere I go, they recognize me. I have been doing my in-house campaign, ‘Jehovah’s Witness Campaign,” he noted.
He however said he has done so much for the people of the state by kicking against corruption and social vices through his music and without a portfolio, adding that the time has come for him to use his doggedness to further emancipate the poor masses from the hands of their oppressors.
“I have been brutalized. I have murdered sleep because of the ordinary people without a portfolio. Time has really come for me to use my doggedness to gain that position most especially to deal with those past leaders who defrauded this state, “ he said.
Unfufilled Promises: Tailors’ Association threaten APC
From Tony Osauzo and Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Alleged failure by Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole to redeem his promise of N75 million loan and a bus to the state chapter of Tailors and Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria, has angered members of the association who, yesterday threatened to vote for a candidate of the opposition party.
President of the association, Isaiah Okungbowa said the governor made the promise March 15, 2011 at the occasion of the first Tailors’ Day held in Benin-City, but however disclosed that the governor has redeemed the promise of 100 sewing machines and the N2 million he also made on the occasion.
He appealed to the state government to fulfil its promises to the union, saying that it cannot be treated differently as he has fulfilled promises made to market women and many other associations in the state.
Okungbowa who spoke through the State Secretary of the association, Bayo Oladepopo, during the union’s Day Celebration at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium yesterday, threatened that members will be compelled to throw their weight behind the candidate of the opposition party if their promises were not met.
He decried alleged imposition of multiple taxation on members of the association and appealed that the union should be allowed to collect their taxes both in the state and in local governments level for onward remittance to the government coffers.
In his speech, the state commissioner for Special Duties and Establishment, Didi Adodo who represented Governor Adams Oshiomhole, said the governor was aware of the promises and assured that if the governor cannot fulfil his promises, the incoming governor would redeem the promises to the union.
He however called on the union to support the candidature of Godwin Obaseki, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the September 10 election.
Forum tasks APC, PDP on election violence
By Ojieva Ehiosun
Worried by the incessant use of abusive words by the camps of the two major political party contenders for the governorship seat, a group, the Edo State Unity in Democracy (UID), has called on politicians and their supporters in the state to desist from pernicious acts capable of plunging the state into political chaos.
Chairman of the group, Hon. Ehighalua Andrew Tigana, told Daily sun in Lagos that the persistent use of bad and provocative words by the candidates, is capable of triggering violence if it is not checked now.
He said that the candidates should dissipate their energy in dishing out manifestoes on issues that will move the hearts of the voters to vote for them, not issues that will annoy the people into taking up arms against one another thereby bringing chaos to the land all in the name of election. “Our politicians must get the message right now, they should understand that the era of using lies, propaganda, and deceit to win elections are over, Edo people are peace loving and law abiding people, we want to hear our candidates talk about things and issues that will be of immense benefits to the people, not comments capable of bringing destruction to our land”.
“We want an election that is totally free of violence, we want our voters to be given free hands to vote a candidate they trust and believe in; we want every of our votes to count, because it is only when the voters vote and their votes are not valid that brings about violence. We want the governor to practise what he preaches; that is one man, one vote.”