EDO, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 – All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Edo Godwin Obaseki says the present economic recession in the country is a lesson for Nigerians to think fast and secure a brighter future.
He spoke in Benin on Sunday at a forum where some members of students union in tertiary institutions across the state said they wanted to endorse him as their candidate for the state governorship election slated for Sept. 28.
“To me, I will say the present economy crisis is a good omen for us. We need to think and act fast.
“Spending more than 17 billion dollars on food importation yearly should not be for a country such as Nigeria because we have the resources.
“We have the land and human resources that can produce same food we import, only if we can evolve policies that will make it for the youth to be effectively deployed to production,’’ observed.
He said the youth constituted the larger productive segment, insisting that policies that would engage the youth productively was necessary to fight crime and improve the economy.
Obaseki said he wanted to be the governor of the state to make the state better and improve the standard of living of the people.
“I am not in the race to acquire more wealth, because I am already blessed. I want to be successful by translating what I have attained to those who need it.
“We are in a race against time, population is growing rapidly, but infrastructure is not growing in a corresponding way.
“There is need for us, as a state and people, to plan ahead before we are caught in the web. I want to be part of this plan, which account for the reason why am seeking to be governor of this state,’’ he said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the postponement of the election on Sept. 9 to Sept. 28, citing security issues.
But the spokesman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mr Dayo Adeyeye has described the postponement of the polls as a coup.
Political analysts, however, observe that the contest is keen between Obaseki and PDP’s governorship candidate Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
