By Eben Enasco Kingsley, Benin City
Ahead of the 2016 gubernatorial election in Edo state, a governorship hopeful under the platform of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Prince Frank Okonga has disclosed that the 2016 Edo state governorship election is no longer going to be a two horse race as usual as he picks up the governorship ticket in the state capital.
Mr. Okonga who contested as governor under the party’s platform in 2012 but subsequently collapsed his structure for the All Progressives Congress in the last minute made the disclosure during a press briefing with journalists in Benin City with the SDP having a member in the governorship race, the electorate are exposed to a glut of parties to choose their governorship candidate rather than the usual two predominant parties, All Progressives Congress and the People’s Democratic Party.
“The electorate are tired of the two political parties in the state and on that, they are seeking an alternative party which is the SDP. We are looking for a situation whereby we can adopt a sole candidate and therefore I have made myself available”, he said.
Mr. Okonga noted that he has decided to make himself available again to serve the people of the state having learnt the rudiments and intrigues of politics in 2012 when he first contested.
He pointed that Edo state is so endowed with a lot of natural resources and therefore it cannot be said to be broke but what the state lack, is poor leadership which has invariably led to corruption.
Okonga promised to redefined politics if voted into the seat of governance by creating two million jobs for the unemployed, build state of the arts hospitals in each of the eighteen local government areas of the state and also build the most talked about Gelegele Seaport in Ovia North East.
“I will build the Gelegele seaport and when that is built, it will automatically place Edo State into a shipping line”, he said.
Adding, “I will consolidate on the developmental stride of the current administration of the All Progressives Congress which has done well in the area of infrastructure because I’m not into the race to criticize the government of the day but to effect the needed change which has eluded the people for several decades.
