Tony Osauzo, Benin
Ahead of next year’s general election, over 20,000 cocoa farmers in Ovia North East and Ovia South West local government areas of Edo State have pledged their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
They said their support for the party was because of President Muhammadu Buhari’s sincerity towards the agricultural sector.
The cocoa farmers, who made their views known when they visited the APC House of Representatives candidate for Ovia Federal Constituency, Mr. Dennis Idahosa, also expressed gratitude to former governor, Adams Oshiomhole, for ‘freeing them from exploitation of an individual who was collecting high annual tenement rate from them’.
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Spokesman for the cocoa farmers, Mr. Saidu Omobola, urged Idahosa to continue with the projects started by a former lawmaker, Isaac Osahon, which were abandoned by the incumbent lawmaker representing the area, Omosede Igbinedion.
The farmers alleged that Omosede did not deliver on her electoral promises, neither did she visit their camps since she was elected.
They listed their areas of need to include quality and affordable seedlings, accessible roads, electricity in their various camps and schools for their children.