The Candidate for Labour Party for Saturday September 21st Edo State governorship election, Olumide Akpata has alleged that Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election is liable to Governor Godwin Obaseki’s failure as his economic Adviser over the past seven years, citing the N600 billion debt profile of the State.
The former President of the Nigeria Bar Association knocked Ighodalo on Sunday at Edo governorship debate in Benin City where Ighodalo and Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, Senator Monday Okpebholo were absent without apology.
Speaking during the debate, Akpata lashed out at Obaseki’s economic blueprint, including Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme, that is yet to live up to public expectation.
The LP Candidate alleged that most public schools where teaching and learning are conducted in buildings children lay on their tomies and take notes on the floor of buildings without roofs.
He lamented that the most touted EdoBest programme has become a smokescreen to bamboozle electorate and divert attention from accountability for the humongous monthly allocation from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to the State, which he said has not been properly utilized.
He said, “and of course Asue Ighodalo will not be here. He has been Chief economic Adviser for seven and half years. There is no need to paper over the crack. And you say you go do am? What do you want to do after seven and half years. That is why he cannot come here”.
“It’s disingenuous for that individual to try to extricate himself from a thing that he has being an integral part of. You cannot. You said your hand is not in it. Edo State debt profile is N600 billion. To borrow money is not a problem. But, what you did with it is what matters.
“Asue Ighodalo comes from the private sector like I do. Which employee comes to take up a job without an interview. He’s being chairman of many Board. Will he dare this in the private sector? It’s because of the utter disdain.
“They believe election are won by other means, and not through the people. If their godfathers call them, will they not show up? Because in their own reconning that is where power lies.
“People say you (Akpata) are always bashing the government. You know the apologists will tell you, ‘please, let it an issue based. Is it not an issue that you earn N16 billion in this State. And this State is in such a sorry State? It’s an issue.
“Is it not an issue that you (Obaseki) labelled your educational system EdoBest and the roofs in schools and caving-in? And water — rains pour in the children who lay on their tomies, copying notes. Is it not an issue that you knocked an hospital to build a Museum?”, Akpata said.
The LP governorship Candidate stated that the politics in Nigeria has been monetized, citing a piece of advice he received from some prominent politicians to be wary of his expenditure and save his money for election day.
He further stated that the advice was precipitated on the need for him to save money checkmate vote buyers who believe that elections can only be won through manipulations.
TheNewspad reports that the debate, which has become a talking point, was organized by Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council, Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BoN) and DAAR Communications.
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