By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – THE governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Monday Okpebholo has promised to revitalize the abandonment of infrastructure like road construction, building of schools and others, and respect for traditional institutions in the state once he becomes the governor.

He stated this at the local government campaign rally in Egor local government in Edo South at the launch of campaigns in the senatorial district which attracted leaders of the party from the districts and others including the leader of the party, Sen. Adams Osiomhole, reinstated deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, leaders from Edo Central and others.

Because of the denial of the party’s access to state government facilities, the rally was held at the open space of the Eribo Estate in Benin City.

He said development in the state stopped when Sen. Adams Oshiomhole finished his tenure as the governor of the state which he said would be reversed.

“In our schools today, we now have two teachers and one head teacher, We are going to bring back the red roof revolution which was stopped. We will empower our people, we will employ not less than. 5,000 teachers in our first 100 days in office.

“We don’t have affordable hospitals again, the one that was built by Oshiomhole is now VIPs, if you don’t have money, you cannot go there, we sre going to build PHCs in all the wards in tbe State.

“What we find everywhere today in the state is flood because the roads are not tarred, we will declare a state of emergency on our roads” he said.

The Director General of the APC Campaign Council, Senator Mathew Uroghide, said the APC is proud of the party’s candidate and his deputy. Hon Dennis Idahosa have performed individually at their constituency and senatorial district adding they are electable and ready to win the September governorship election.

He said they would respect the Benin traditional institution unlike what is presently obtainable adding that “We must tell the people of Edo South why we decided to choose Monday Okpebholo. Okpebholo as a senator is representing five local government areas that is almost one third of the state where he said he has done and “we decided to shift the governorship to Edo Central senatorial district.”

He said “we met him to ask what he will do for Edo South, he has promised to revamp agriculture, security, employment and above all pledged to respect and uphold the Benin traditional institution. Obaseki, who is from Edo South, has failed us. For Dennis Idahosa, it is clear he has the mandate of his people and that is why he has continued to win election after election in Ovia federal Constituency.”

On his part, former deputy governor of Edo state, Pius Odubu said only meaningful development recorded in the state was during the administration of Senator Adams Oshiomhole adding that Edo cannot afford another years of PDP lack lustre government in the state saying “We have had almost eight years of very wicked government, we have almost eight years of PDP bad government, Akpakomiza has come to rescue the state”

On his part Oshiomhole assured that all the alleged diversion, embezzlement, and oppression perpetrated by Obaseki will be swept away by Okpebholo and said that the APC is ready to challenge any attempt by the PDP to compromise the election.