From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
THE race for the governorship race in Edo State, yesterday gathered momentum when three candidates picked interest forms to contest on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at
the ruling party’s headquarters in Abuja.
Our correspondent who monitored situations at the secretariat of the party reports that the trio of Kenneth Imansuangbon, the embattled deputy governor, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Pius Egberanmwen Odubu and Maj-Gen Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere all picked expression of interest forms, paying N500,000 each.
Speaking after picking the forms, Imansuangbon, who was the first candidate to do so, promised to use his private sector experiences to restore Edo State to its glorious days, revealing that he would send over 1000 indigenes of the state to Taiwan and Thailand for training on rice production.
“Those concerned about the state will know that Edo needs a man like me with private sector experience to create jobs for the teeming jobless Edo youths. If elected, I will also strengthen our school system which has been very weak. With the experiences I have gathered, I am well positioned to make the school system stronger than it is today.
“I want to give the teachers in the state hope and pay them their salaries as and when due. I have a strong policy that every Edo child must be in school. The Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has
really done very well and I am sure he would be happier to have a man like me to consolidate on his achievements.
“Agriculture will be my third focus and my target will be to make the state self-sufficient in food production. I will take everybody especially the youth back to the farms. There will be rice and plantain farms in most parts of the state. We are also going to explore massive production of tomato and guava. We will bake bread with cassava. “I have no doubt our commitment in agriculture will not only reduce crime but also take Edo youths away from crime and criminalities. We will organise competitions in sports and education to positively engage the youths. We will also block all the leakages.
I will attract international attention to Edo with my connections. I have been adequately prepared and in all, I want to assure that I want to take Edo to its glorious days,” he noted.