An All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Edo State Engr. Gideon Ikhine has ruled out insinuations that Comrade Adams Oshiomole has an anointed candidate, insisting that there is no favoured candidate for the party’s February 17 shadow election in the state.
Ikhine distanced the former governor from anointing any of the 12 aspirants jostling for the party’s ticket shortly after submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja on Friday.
The governorship hopeful warned those peddling such rumours of Oshiomole anointing an aspirant to desist from doing so.
Admitting a cordial political and working relationship with the former labour leader, Ikhine maintained that he remains the most acceptable and competent aspirant of the party.
“Any child that abuses his father, don’t you know he will not go too far in life? He is our father in the state. I can never have any frosty relationship with him,” he said.
“There is what we call a will. Even God will not temper with your will. I am not sure you are quoting him correctly. He has never on any occasion come out to say I have an anointed candidate. Please don’t misrepresent my leader.”
Concerned by the huge debt profile of the state, Ikhine promised to utilise the potential of the state to turn around its fortunes.
According to him, “Talking about Edo State, are we where we are supposed to be? Are we challenged by the situation in the country? The answer is yes. It is good to have ambition. It is good to have a dream. It is good to have personal drive but above all, what is more important is the interest of the people.
“What drives me in Edo State is the vision of transforming Edo State into a destination of first choice for any person coming to Africa. Somebody might say this is quite laudable. But I want to tell you about his achievements and it is achievable. Edo State today is situated geographically in one of the best zones in Africa.
“Edo State is like a hub. You cannot go to the East, West and North without passing through Edo State. If you have such a state and you pass by and you look at the present situation you can start from the human capital. The average citizen in Edo State today is barely existing.
“They are not living. We must give these people hope. We must give them a life. When we christen our campaign the beacon of hope, there is a reason we christened it the beacon of hope. We need to reestablish the beckon that made it what it was.
“Today, are we where we are supposed to be, no. What is the value we have as a state? The value we have today as a name is the Benin Kingdom. How have we been able to take advantage of the name? To transform it into socioeconomic value for the people? We have not done that. These are some of the things we want to do. Focusing on tourism and rebuilding our infrastructure.”
THE NATION
