By Egufe Yafugborhi

PORT HARCOURT – RIVERS State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the 2023 elections, Prince Ugo Beke says his administration when elected would be so conscious of carrying all shades of Rivers people along that the physically challenged would constitute 5% of his government.

Beke, a banking and financial expert, who disclosed this at Elekahia, Port Harcourt where folks, party faithful and supporters joined him in celebration as he turned 62 also promised to have youths and women constitute 70% of his government while blaming low pace of development in the state on ineptitude among successive administrations in the past 24 years.

He said, “I have said that the youths, students, the young minds who are the most less privileged will form over 70% of the government of I will lead in Rivers come next year. Gender issue will also properly addressed. The women will be part of that 70%.

“And of course the physically challenged that we have here (birthday event) today will form 5% of my government. And one of them apparently is my Deputy to be. He has the mental capacity, he has what it takes to deliver Rivers state. We should not segregate against anybody.”

On the leadership question in Rivers, the APGA governorship hopeful said, “I have looked at human capital development in Rivers, it is zero. I have looked at empowerment, zero. People are impoverished in the midst of plenty.

“We have six Delta regions in the world. Niger Delta, Rivers included, is the poorest of all in terms of human capital development, in living standards and even the infrastructures we noise about.

“We are far behind in Rivers. We’ve been running the state same failed way for the past 24 years, meaning we have not had people who are well equipped for the job. They use the poor to oppress the poor.”

On blueprint to make the difference, he said, “We are going to do something new. It’s the you and I agenda. The we agenda is pretentious. How can I say we agenda and I have 20 cars while the followers are impoverished.

“I will not say I am the messiah, but I think that by my content and character and capacity, I am most experienced, most suitable and will occupy the Brick House in 2023. My area of focus will be economy, security and prosperity. APGA is the party that identifies with the ‘You and I’ meaning we are talking about love, peace, sincerity and purposeful leadership”.