By Festus Ahon
AHEAD of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP primaries in Delta State, some of the aspirants spoke to the Vanguard on their message to the delegates. OBAISI OVIE OMO-AGEGE on his message assured Deltans of his readiness to add value to governance when elected. Excerpts: 
The Gubernatorial Primary Election is on Monday; how prepared are you?

From the outset, we knew that the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party will not come easy.

We knew that to win, we needed to run a good campaign based on issues. We also knew that the candidate, who is able to demonstrate without doubt, that he can win the general election for our Party, will emerge at the end of the day. We have run a smear-free campaign and have demonstrated that only my candidacy will guarantee victory for our party in all elections particularly the presidential elections. If I had thought at any time during the course of this campaign that my candidacy will not guarantee victory and help President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election, I would have withdrawn from the race for the interest of the party.

We have run a ground-up campaign, meeting the people at the grass root to engage them on the issues of concern. We visited the 25 Local Government Areas in the state to consult with leaders and the rank and file of the party whose support is crucial.  We also consulted with traditional rulers, stakeholders as well as business and community leaders across the state.  We have coped very well with the dynamics of the race and managed the complexities of Delta politics. So we are ready. We have done our homework well and we will win.

This is a delegate election; what message do you have for them?

My message is simple. The 2015 general election is too important to go into it with anything less than our very best if we are to win.

This time we must win with a clear mandate so the next governor will not be distracted by legal challenges to our victory. We must not nominate a candidate that will give life to the opposition and cause problems for our party and the President.

The challenges ahead are too great and complex to trust our future into a untested and unproven hand, one who does not understand the need to make the people’s priorities government priorities.

If you believe that we need to fix our broken society and strengthen our families by creating more jobs and business opportunities, cast your vote for me. If you believe that the urgent need of our time is to diversify Delta state economy by developing our agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and the creative industry to make the Delta Beyond Oil vision of Governor Uduaghan a reality, vote Ovie Omo-Agege. If you truly believe that a secured society is a necessity for all and not a luxury for few, vote for me.

If you believe that we must make life easy and bring down the cost of doing business in Delta by modernising and expanding our infrastructure such as power, transport systems, schools, hospitals, housing, potable water, vote Omo-Agege. Finally, if you are one of those that believe that at this critical time, that our future depends on doing things differently and not business as usual, cast your vote for me. Because as a man who has been in and out of government, I understand that we must change our politics and establish a regime of open, transparent and accountable government and prudent management of our resources to reduce waste and improve on the financial health of our state.

I have the political experience, the administrative know-how, the business background, the human empathy, understanding, and patience to source, extract and deliver the benefits of democracy to all our citizens. More importantly, I am electable.

What is your message to your teeming supporters?

Thank you for daring to believe. I am truly humbled by your support and belief in me. You have inspired me in many ways.

Being with you all these many months always remind me what this campaign is all about – the hopes and dreams of our people for a better future. This is what has kept me going day in day out. When I woke up every morning feeling tired, the thought that you are downstairs ready to go again gets me fired up and ready to go.

Thank You! I am grateful to every one of you. Your efforts will not be in vain. You have done so much but we are not done yet. I urge you all to continue to knock on doors and solicit for support among the delegate.

These delegates are known to you. They are your friends and neighbours, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. There should be no complacency. That one extra vote could make the difference and bring about the change that can cause significant improvements in the lives of millions of people across the length and breadth of Delta state and beyond.