The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has predicted that his party will secure a statewide victory in the forthcoming gubernatorial election scheduled to hold on September 10.
Ize-Iyamu said his confident outlook was based on the unenviable reputation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a party of empty promises and deceit.
He said Nigerians in Edo state were fed up and would turn out en masse on the Election Day to vote for the PDP which he described as the only party in Nigeria that has the record of keeping faith with the electorate.
He spoke during a campaign rally at the erosion-ravaged Ukpenu community in Esan West Local Government Area, the birthplace of the former governor of the old Bendel state, and founder of Ambrose Alli University, the late Professor Ambrose Alli.
According to him, “Let me assure you that APC cannot win this election. In Edo south, PDP will win all the seven local governments. In Edo North, PDP will win all of 6 local governments and all 5 local governments in Esan.”
The PDP candidate, who addressed a mammoth crowd of the elderly, women and enthusiastic youths in the community which comprises Ward 7 of the local government area, said it was on record that apart from the neglect of the once motorable road leading to the community, the Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led government has almost killed the state-owned University.
He stated, “This is a local government that produced Governor Ambrose Alli who developed all parts of Bendel state and did not say that because he hailed from Esan west he would not develop Benin City or Etsako.
“It is painful that a governor would come and choose to neglect a place where Alli hailed from. Ukpenu road used to be a strategic road that led to the federal capital, the state capital and Edo North. It’s regrettable that Governor Oshiomhole says it is a federal road.”
He wondered how a governor who claimed to have spent billions of state funds on Ugbowo road, which is a federal road in Benin City, would turn round and refuse to spend money to fix the bad roads in the local government area of a great man like Alli.
According to him, “Today, in Edo, we have a governor who is clannish as 65 per cent of the capital expenditure of the state is spent on his village, Iyamo; a village with 39 tarred roads while some local governments have no roads.”
He told the people that they should reject the APC and support the PDP which candidate is a pastor and a God-fearing man who will keep his covenant with the people of Edo state as contained in the Simple Agenda.
