From Victor Nwegede
Ebonyi gubernatorial candidate under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Prof Bernard Odoh has urged the state citizens to consider competence, experience, character and content while canvassing for the victory of their preferred candidates as the 2023 general elections were drawing closer.
Prof Bernard Ifeanyichukwu Odoh.
Prof Odoh made this call on Tuesday in Abakaliki during the inauguration of his support organizations, known as Odohmetre 2023 Kilometres and the affiliates.
He said that Ebonyi does not need an inexperienced candidate in executive functions to emerge as the governor of the state in 2023.
According to him, "the PDP governorship candidate, we don't know anything about him, but he has no experience in governance, he hasn't been in this town and doesn't know anywhere here. He only stays in Lagos with our brothers and Dubai, another country, when we come to Lagos we can visit him, we need to develop our state, and this is not the time for gambling. It's time to get it right."
He earlier hinted that "the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in the state has no executive experience, he doesn't have a global reach, he is not comparative, and his deputy governor is not the kind of my deputy governor, Dr Nkata."
He said his deputy governor, Dr Nkata Nwani Chukwu is a graduate-trained health economist, with both Nigeria and global wealth in health economics, expressing confidence that working with him as a running mate would be of great blessing to the state.
He assured of driving the technologies and expertise from developed countries like New York, Japan and many others to the Ebonyi by engaging with foreign peoples to develop the state.
Odoh promised that his government if elected would focus on spotting Ebonyi resources by encouraging local communities to produce goods and services that would revamp the state economy.
He maintained that Ebonyi people would be treated with honour and respect, assuring them not to be subjected to over-taxation while promising to review the policies of the current administration which led to the demolition of people’s properties within the Abakaliki capital city.
“We shall treat our people with respect, we will honour them if you’re the best we will promote you. It doesn’t matter where you are coming from, for those who are in business, we will not tax their capital, tax should come from the profit, those whose shops were demolished, we’ll review the policies and set things right.
“We will activate local economy in our various communities, we shall all be part of the project process, and we shall produce goods and services that would lift this state and give us income," the APGA gubernatorial candidate assured.
Prof Odoh expressed dismay over the different communal clashes in the state, which he attributed the cause to the bestowed political interests and alleged existing government’s interference with the leadership of local unions.
He however assured his supporters that he would encourage them to decide on their leaders to live in peace and unity if elected as governor in 2023.
He said his government would encourage the production of consumable products such as eggs among other items produced in other states, to promote the production of cement by harnessing the limestone deposits in the State which would further transform the economy.
The gubernatorial candidate commended the leader of the Odometer Support Group, Onyebuchi Eze, and pointed out that the different groups backing his 2023 bid had been self-funded, just to ensure the Ebonyi people regained their fortune against the alleged horrible leadership experience facing them in the state.
