By Simon Ebegbulem
BENIN—FORMER President of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Mr Peter Akpatason, yesterday, cited what he described as the gross under representation of his people and the need to ensure good governance as reasons for his decision to join the race for the Edo North Senatorial seat.

Akpatason will be slugging it out with the incumbent Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator, Alhaji Yisa Braimoh, Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources in the state, Dr Tunde Lakoju and Deacon Domingo Obende.

Mr Akpatason,  who spoke when he formally declared his intention to contest the forthcoming Edo North Senatorial seat to the executive members of the Action Congress, AC,  in the state, said, “it is necessary we get representation that can attract the best of federal projects to compliment the effort of the state and to take the state to its desire level.

“Our representation at the federal level must be such that is able to find a synergy between what is happening in the state and what is happening at federal level. The representation that can attract the best of benefits. Edo North Senatorial District is one of the largest you can think of. It is well endowed with human and natural resources, however, you hardly can find federal presence,” he lamented.

State Chairman of AC,  Prince Tony Omoaghe, who assured that the party will provide a level playing ground for all contestants, said the people alone will choose their representatives. According to him “we are not going to impose anybody on the people.

The people will decide. Our duty is to forward the names chosen by the people to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and I know that the people will choose candidates that will defeat our opponents in the election.”