BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

BENIN – A governorship aspirant under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] in Edo state, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) has said that he will declare a state of emergency on youth employment and insecurity in the State if elected governor come July next year.

The former Commander Corps of Army Finance and Accounts in the Nigerian Army said the greatest challenge facing the state was youth unemployment which he said has been responsible for the spate of insecurity, saying that nobody can invest in a state that was unsecured.

While insisting that Edo was gradually turning itself into the most insecure state in the country, he said that he was in the governorship race to restore the dignity of the Edo people.  

The retired General who addressed PDP faithful in a State wide tour to seek his party’s nomination as its flag bearer for the 14, July 2012 governorship election,  also formally declared his intention to run for the 2012 governorship election in the state on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP].

He explained that he decided to join the race in order to correct the wrongs done by the PDP when the party was in power in the state stressing that he voluntarily retired from the army to serve his people.

While appealing to other aspirants to discuss issues during the campaigns rather than abusing their fellow aspirants, he said, “the state government should stop this continuous campaign that the PDP destroyed the state for ten years. I believe that government should concentrate on how to fix our roads, prioritize projects rather than the window dressing we see every day in the state.

“A PDP administration come 2012 will correct the mistakes of the past. We are going to ensure free education, free health care for the elderly, children and pregnant women. We must find solution to the prevailing suffering in the state. The insecurity in the state is very alarming and we have to use our experience to tackle it because without security, there is no way people can come and invest in our state.“

Responding on behalf of the local government chairmen of the party, the chairman of PDP in Ovia South West  local government  Bayo  Ugboma assured the governorship aspirant of the support of the people of state during next year’s election.

He said taking Edo state from the government of the Action Congress of Nigeria was war and ‘we need a general to lead the war’.