By Bisi Olaniyi, Benin
Thousands of residents are thronging the venues of the campaigns of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
The electioneering got off to a bright start on Monday in Esan land, Edo Central Senatorial District, with supporters of Ize-Iyamu showing solidarity, in view of the efforts by local organising officials of the APC to maintain compliance with health regulatory guidelines.
It was a sea of heads at Igueben, Ubiaja and Uromi, the administrative headquarters of Igueben, Esan Southeast, and Esan Northeast local governments where the governorship candidate sold his SIMPLE agenda manifesto, highlighting plans to attract investments and development to Edo Central Senatorial District.
At Igueben, after receiving royal blessings from the traditional rulers of Edo Central, who gathered at the palace of the Onojie of the Igueben Kingdom, HRH Ehizojie Eiluojerio I, Ize-Iyamu shared copies of his SIMPLE agenda manifesto with them, noting his plans to partner traditional institutions to tackle insecurity and policy misalignment between the government and the people. He said he would promote beneficial cultural values and tradition.
Ize-Iyamu exposed the fallacy of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s Esan agenda promise, describing it as a contrived falsehood to earn pity votes.
He said the Edo governor had overlooked the people of Esan land on numerous occasions and failed to develop the area in his four years in office.
The APC standard-bearer accused Obaseki of using the handover promise as a gimmick to obtain votes in areas he is not popular, having made a similar promise to his deputy, Philip Shaibu, who hails from Edo North Senatorial District.
He assured the people of his readiness to protect and secure their farmlands, invest in tools that will aid productivity and market their produce to foreign buyers.
At Ubiaja, the governorship candidate promised the people of Esan Southeast Local Government that he would continue the development programmes of former governor Adams Oshiomhole in the areas of road construction, schools, health centres and others, which he said were abandoned by Obaseki over petty politics and disregard for people’s needs.
When the campaign train stopped in Uromi, Ize-Iyamu inaugurated a borehole donated by a community leader in Ward 8, Efandion, Prof. Steve Iyayi.
He hailed him for his generosity and display of leadership, lamenting the neglect of the community.
Ize-Iyamu promised to tackle the recurrent challenge of erosion and lack of basic amenities, before proceeding to the rally venue, where thousands of supporters had gathered.
They cheered him, while spelling out his policies, plans and programmes, as documented in his manifesto.
Ize-Iyamu urged the people to obtain a copy of the manifesto and hold him accountable to the promises.
Accompanying the APC governorship candidate were his running mate, Gani Audu, a former national chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and other chieftains.
