By Sir Ralph Okhiria
Mrs. Mabel Oboh, candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Party, in the September 19, Governorship election in Edo State, has called on the people of the state to use the forthcoming election to seek the part of economic recovery and development by voting out corrupt political leaders who do not mean well for the citizenry of the state.
She said the best way to go about it is to expel and politically quarantine all known corrupt political leaders and functionaries by voting against them on September 19.
According to the ADC Guber candidate, the only a Welfarist system of government can revive the ailing economy of the state and put it on the part of sustainable development.
Oboh, a Nollywood actress and veteran broadcaster, who stated this while interacting with Heads of Media Organisations in Benin City, said her welfarist agenda would return the moribund economic state to the path of economic recovery, growth and sustainability.
She said the economy of the state had been pillaged by selfish politicians who posed as leaders so much that the state economy is on it’s Knees while the people are living in penury, adding that until “these looters are expelled from government and politically quarantined, the people will never experience independence and freedom from poverty.”
The ADC candidate, who said she preferred to be addressed as a reformist rather than a politician, noted that she would never accept monetary inducement to contest for any political position, saying that “as that is tantamount to political slavery.
“Doing so amounts to be perpetually tied to the apron strings of godfathers as is the case in many states of the Federation.
“There’s no doubt that Edo state, our dear state is in crisis and needs help. It needs experts to salvage what is left of the long years of economic plundering.
“As an Edo woman and an entrepreneur, I will bring my experience and business expertise to bear and manage the state’s resources.
“We will invite and collaborate with experts to help touch all spheres of the sectors, especially agriculture and health.
“We will grow agriculture sector to exterminate poverty and hunger from the land.Agriculture revolution in terms of package of food production, preservation food and food bank .
“When we become food sufficient and sustained, we will then look at the possibility of export to increase our revenue generation.
“These experts will help train our youths and women on skills acquisition and will be given grants and loans to attain financial independence.
” In the health sector, we shall collaborate with Health Management Organizations to introduce health Insurance for all as well as employers and unemployed Insurance which will made mandatory that will help heal Edo state and become healthy once again.
“As an entertainer, I will develop the entertainment industry and make Edo state become entertainment tourism hub which will invariably increase the state foreign exchange earnings, ” she said.
Speaking on the recent clash in Benin City, between the youths of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and those of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mrs. Mabel Oboh, condemned the behavior the youths, saying the situation was politically unhealthy for our democracy.
“I must say the present hostilities among the contending candidates of the major political parties and their supporters ahead of the election are not healthy for democratic growth of the state.
“Edo state currently is sick and under siege; it urgently requires healing and urgent intervention of our revered traditional rulers to call the combatants and their supporters to order.
“There is no doubt that Edo state is in crisis and begging for redemption. As a woman, wife and a mother, I have the required recipe for redemption of the situation .
According to her, the present scenario is the outcome of successive leadership failure, leading to false hopes, frustration and angst among the people especially, the youths,who have become willing and ready tools in the hands of desperate politicians.
“But i want to bring them hope through my reformist manifesto agenda that seeks to wipe away hunger, poverty, greed and avarice, and give the people hope through well thought out agriculture programme, good healthcare service delivery, infrastructural development among others.
“I may not have the financial muscle , but i have the belief, ideology and voice to drive my welfarist agenda for the good of the people of Edo state to smile again. “
The ADC candidate urged the electorate not to sell their consciences but to hold firm their beliefs for a better Edo state by voting for her on Sept. 19.
Oboh emerged as ADC candidate following the withdrawal of Dr Benjamin Akhigbe, the party’s former candidate from the race.
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