From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Gubernatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Monday Okpebholo, yesterday, said Edo State urgently needs a ‘panel beater’, to fix deplorable state broken infrastructures and restore the state to it lost glory.
He made the declaration at a media interactive session with members of the Edo State Correspondent Chapel, in Benin, in apparent reference to his political critics who derogatory described him as a ‘panel beater’, saying he does not require grammar to tackle insecurity, provide functional health care, fix dilapidated roads, respect traditional institutions and revamp the collapsed educational system in the state.
He said his administration will immediately declare a state of emergency on insecurity, adding that he does not really need a manifesto to understand how to deal with the multi-hydra-headed problems and suffering inflicted on the state by the Peoples Democratic Party-led Godwin Obaseki’s government.
Besides, Okpebholo challenged Obaseki to account for the huge monthly allocation, security vote and internally generated revenue (IGR) the state has received in the almost eight years of his administration.
“If elected by the special grace of God on September 21, my job is to do things differently and restore Edo State to its lost glory therefore we need a courageous leader that will do things rightly for the benefit of Edo people.
“Today, Edo State is receiving N11 billion in monthly allocation with the debt profile put at N555 billion thereby mortgaging the future of our children.
“At this point, what Edo really needs is a panel beater. I am here to panel beat the state where there will be no thuggery, where Bendel brewery will work, where our roads will be fixed, where our children will have a functional educational system with teachers in our class rooms.
“I am coming as a servant leader to the people where I will introduce practical governance and govern with empathy and love for the people,” Okpebholo said.
Earlier, the Media Consultant, Edo State APC Governorship Campaign Council, Kassim Afegbua, said Edo State needs an empathic governor that has emotional intelligence, adding that Okpebholo’s humility, candour and God’s anointing were his selling points.
He disclosed Okpebholo has embarked on ‘Operation Light Edo Central’ that entails the installation of 3,000 streetlights in the senatorial district.
Afegbua listed some of the candidate’s interventionist projects to include, the provision of transformers, building of classrooms, provision of security vehicles to Edo Central, provision of scholarships as well as the provision of boreholes to many communities among others in the central senatorial district.
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