By Saviour Jimoh Alabi
With just few days to the Edo State gubernatorial election, ITV/Radio has taken the initiative to help residents of the state to make informed decision by organising political debates for the gubernatorial candidates and their running mates to address key issues facing the state.
The governorship debate featured candidates from various political parties, including Dr. Okungbowa Paul Ovbokhan of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Patience Ndidi Key of the People Redemption Party (PRP), Dr. Azemhe Azena of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Derek Izedonminen of the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Isaiah Osifo of the
All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and Dr. Oberaifo Udoh of the African Action Congress (AAC).
The station had earlier organised a political debate for deputy governorship candidates.
Dr. Ovbokhor proposed a digitized education system that emphasizes visual and practical learning to foster wealth creation. He also suggested leveraging the state’s population to enhance revenue through locally made goods and stressed the importance of human capital development to boost productivity.
Azena committed to addressing the poor state of education by ensuring free education, teacher training, and reducing tertiary institution fees for the underprivileged. He emphasized the power of the people and faith in overcoming federal and incumbent powers and proposed an inclusive government. He also highlighted the need to focus on health and the overall improvement of Edo State, irrespective of the electoral zone.
Osifo stressed that education is fundamental to societal development and vowed to invest in primary, secondary, and tertiary education. He plans to foster an enabling environment for learning and improve teacher quality. He proposed industrialization and agricultural sector revitalization to boost state revenue and promised to enhance public transportation and promote tourism. He urged voters to reject inducements and focus on democracy’s power.
Patience Key advocated for a digitized education system and proposed incorporating vocational studies, entrepreneurship, and digital technology into the curriculum. She promised to develop robust tourism and agricultural sectors, improve security, and introduce a health insurance scheme for all. Key emphasized that change can be driven by the people’s collective will against federal might.
Derek Izedonminen pledged to restructure the educational system and improve teacher remuneration. He emphasized enhancing technology to boost internal revenue and promised to revamp the security architecture to attract investors. He also proposed tax incentives for new investors and stressed that governance should not be a matter of rotation but of effective leadership.
Dr. Udoh focused on a knowledge-based economy and skill development, including the introduction of local languages in education. He highlighted the importance of solving local problems as a basis for industrialization and urged citizens to support candidates who address their real needs. He also proposed revamping herbal medicine in the health sector.
This debate provided a platform for the candidates to outline their visions and plans for Edo State, helping voters make a more informed choice in the upcoming election.
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