By Obinna Oke

The choice of Prof. Ben Odoh for the governor of Ebonyi State is not based on party or clan. It’s not because of any ill-conceived equaty or turn mentality. We cannot continue to play the politics of turn with the future of Ebonyi people. The responsibility of government is beyond such parochial inanities. The governor of every state is saddled with the crucial responsibility of charting the course of development of the people of that state, providing innovative solutions to the problems of education and scholarship, healthcare, agriculture, employment, enabling environment for business, women empowerment and other socioeconomic infrastructures needed for the reduction of poverty in all forms and for self-sufficiency and self-reliance. To address these critical issues requires creativity, integrity, capacity, transparency and accountability. It is not a child’s play, neither is it a business for locals whom only thuggery and servitude elevated in politics. The responsibility of the governor borders heavily on security, peace, unity and development.

Those are the reasons Prof. Odoh on the platform of APGA is the preferred choice for the Ebonyi people. Immediately after swearing in, Odoh will hit the ground running on these core goals. There will be not time for frivolities, favouritism or godfatherism. Corruption and any form of self-aggrandizement will not be tolerated. Prof. Odoh will have no time to witch-hunt anyone including those who consider him their political adversary. He will be the governor of both the small, the big, the poor, the rich, the helpless and the powerful. He will embrace everyone irrespective of their political opinions, party or tribe. But while doing that, mediocres will have no place in his government, neither will criminals find Ebonyi State habitable. I can assure you of this.

This is to reassure the Ebonyi people that Odoh’s government will not waste any time repressing anybody including those with the most uncomfortable opposing opinions. Ebonyi under him will uphold the freedom of speech, movement, association and that of information to the utmost height. The enormity of the challenges facing Ebonyi is huge. Being among the top in terms of multidimensional poverty, insecurity, intercommunal wars, unease of doing business, number of out-of-school children and the repression of press freedom, Ebonyi has no business in the hands of a collection of scoundrels and political opportunists who have no knowledge of basic rudiments of governance, self-awareness or the challenges we face as a people.

This is why APC and PDP as currently constituted in Ebonyi State must be booted out of the corridors of government. It’s time for innovation. It’s time to rebuild and reconstruct the wreckage made of the otherwise peaceful and beautiful Ebonyi State in the last 8 years by Engr David Umahi. The key to doing this is by going out this Saturday 18th March and voting for APGA where the giant African cock is drawn signifying a new dawn in our beloved State. It doesn’t matter if you’re APC or PDP or Labour, I plead with you to join hands in this business of making Ebonyi State better for us all, our families and our future children. Go all out and vote Prof. Benard Ifeanyi Odoh for the governor of Ebonyi State. Stay with the INEC officials and ensure that the votes are counted at the polling units and successfully uploaded to the INEC portal. By doing this you would have played your part in this journey of rebuilding our dear State.

Ebonyi State deserves better. Thank you so much.