Thousands of youths under the aegis of the ‘Edo Youth Solidarity Movement’ have backed the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
They hoped his SIMPLE agenda manifesto would create jobs and improve the economy.
The youth spoke yesterday when they visited the APC candidate in his home with fanfare to announce their endorsement of his governorship bid.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu with his running mate, Mallam Gani Audu and other leaders of the party, including former governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, DG APC Campaign Council, Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe and Vice Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee, APC National Campaign Council, Mr. Patrick Obahiagbon, received the youth.
Spokespersons for the youth, John Izegaegbe, Edo South and Godwin Aigbokhaode, Edo North, assured Ize-Iyamu and other APC members that in addition to the guaranteed votes of thousands of their members across the three senatorial districts, they have begun mobilisation in the 18 local governments to ensure APC standard-bearer’s success at the polls on September 19.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu lamented the state of the economy and the declining level of jobs and economic opportunities for youths.
He slammed the incumbent governor for his focus on politics at the expense of governance and promised to implement the programmes outlined in his manifesto to stimulate the economy, create jobs and eradicate crime.
Ize-Iyamu said: “Instead of empowering our youths and exploring opportunities to positively engage them, the governor continues to denigrate and insult them as ‘agberos’.
Many of you here are well-educated, qualified and competent to handle complex tasks and projects. Instead of patronising you, the governor insults you and chooses to do his business elsewhere.
“My own government will be different. We have plans to create jobs for our youths. We will empower and patronise them.
We don’t think you are good for election period only. If you elect me, you will have a friend in the Government House; a governor who is accessible, lives among you and is accountable to you.”
Comrade Oshiomhole said the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has chosen to focus on the things he said in the past in the spirit of electioneering, instead of presenting their achievements and plans to the people.
Said he: “They cannot display their achievements because they don’t have any. They have decided to focus on Oshiomhole although he is not in the ballot.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu is a good man with genuine plans to move Edo State forward. He has the support of all and is on his way to repeating the 2012 feat of winning in all the 18 local governments as I did when he was my campaign director general.”