The All Progressives Congress (APC) over the weekend gave a quit notice to Governor Godwin Obaseki saying he should start packing his loads out of the Edo State Government House for the APC just as it promised a level playing field for all its governorship aspirants.
The acting State Chairman of the party, Jarret Tenebe stated this when he received a former Deputy Governor of the state, Lucky Eghosa Imasuen who formally declared his intention to vie for the party’s governorship ticket.
Tenebe reacting to Imasuen’s comment that the APC parades very competent and qualified aspirants for the governorship poll said: “We have a leader in Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who has told us clearly that the people, the party will determine who fly their flag and that is the position of the party as of today. There is no one person that will sit in his comfort zone to say this is the candidate.
“I want to send a message to Godwin Obaseki that it is not going to be business as usual and we are ready, willing and able to go back. So start packing your load to leave the government because the calibre of people we have received here are capable of winning elections and governing the state.”
Earlier, Imasuen, a product of Massey College(now Massey University) in New York where he got a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, said security and employment creation in addition to erosion control would top his agenda as governor.
He said “I believe I am the best to get the ticket for the party. I am prepared psychologically. I am prepared mentally. I am prepared financially for this game. And experience wise, you know my antecedents. We need a government that will echo the yearning and the cry of the people of Edo State.
“We need a government that will respect the traditional institution. We need a government that will respect the party. We need a government that will serve the people instead of the people serving them. We need a government that will cut waste. We need a government that can distinguish between wants and needs. We need a government that will reorganize and restructure Edo State.
“I was once a Deputy Governor; once a Chief of Staff; a businessman and a farmer. I think I have what it takes and it is my hope that after listening to me today, the party will throw its weight behind me.”
Going down memory lane, Imasuen recalled his antecedents as Chief of Staff and later Deputy Governor when he initiated EARS (Edo State Arms Response System) which has an office in the state Government House.
He stressed that if he is voted into office as the number one citizen of the state he will expand the programme beyond Benin Metropolis to the other senatorial districts – Edo North and Edo Central.
“I will convert security votes to the needs of the people,” he enthused.
On food shortage, Imasuen averred that “Our forests have been invaded by herdsmen. Most of those invaders are not herdsmen. Some of them are even our brothers. I will galvanise, reorganize, restructure the community policing and periodically we can go to any community and invade the forest. Bring army, bring police and bring the members of the community who are members of the security group.
“With the aid of drones we can enter the forest. Anything that’s foreign would be brought to the surface and dealt with. Let’s give our people that sense of belonging.”
Imasuen, who was the Edo State Coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Organization, affirmed that his aspiration for governorship is not a do or die affair.
“Whatever God bless will come to pass and I will win. My quest for this position is not a do or die affair.”
Imasuen stated that his intention is to surpass the laudable achievements of Comrade Oshiomhole in his eight years as governor of the state.
The formal declaration was witnessed by some heavyweight politicians across the state and notable players in the traditional institution of Edo South Senatorial District.
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