By Udo Ibuot
BENIN—Political leaders were, weekend, urged to be selfless and dedicated, if they aspired to win the war against poverty in the country. They should also be focused and concentrate on issues that unite rather than divide the country.

Senatorial aspirant for Edo North district on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Richard Lamai, who made the appeal, urged politicians to focus on issues that would put food on the tables of Nigerians, adding that zoning, which was one of the issues that was heating the polity had no capacity to do so.

“One of the issues heating up the polity is that of zoning, yet all of us know that it doesn’t put food on the table. The only thing that can put food on the table is good, qualitative leadership. So where such leadership hails from should not matter so long as he or she is a Nigerian.

“The quest for good, selfless and dedicated leadership for the country, National Assembly, states, local government areas and even ward levels should be for all because that is the only way we can tackle the monster called poverty,” he added.

The senatorial aspirant who said he was in the race to alleviate poverty in the area, stressed that he would solve the problem by encouraging and promoting establishment of small scale industries based on abundant natural mineral and agricultural resources in the district.

He added: “Part of my various plans to alleviate poverty is to organise subsistence farmers into cooperatives and teach them  modern farming methods.”