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By Dirisu Yakubu

Immediate past deputy national chairman (South-West) of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Eddy Olafeso has promised to revived Ondo state’s “infrastructural decay” if elected governor of in the October 10 gubernatorial poll.

Olafeso who resigned his membership of the PDP National Working Committee, NWC, to contest the governorship primaries stated this in Abuja after obtaining the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms at the party’s national headquarters.

Addressing newsmen, Olafeso gave a hint on what prompted him to join the race.

“Today marks a critical step in the journey to redress the nepotistic and fraudulent kind of governance which has resulted into decayed infrastructure, education, social and human capital and capacity development that have dogged every sphere of Ondo state. The political experience in Ondo state as presently configured is skewed in appointments and infrastructural development abandoning a sizeable chunk of the state in abject disrepair. They have destroyed the economy of Ondo state.

According to him, “education, which is the focal pillar on which the society rests, has gone comatose as students in tertiary institutions across the state are dropping out of school on daily basis due to movement’s insensitivity in astronomical increase in fees.

“This is not only limited to the higher institutions of learning as primary and secondary schools have their own share of the increase in fees making education an Internally Generated Revenue, IGR point.

“Our roads have become death traps and points of kidnapping especially in the northern part of the state where criminals enjoy field days of criminality without let and hindrance.

“Ten years have passed like a bad dream for those who live in the southern part of the state in their continued stay in absolute blackout. Poverty is so glaring in the lives of the people that we can literally see it walk the streets, clinging to our people’s daily existence.”

In what appears a diversion from the traditional model of boosting IGR, Olafeso said he would come up with sources of financing that would drill a hole in the pockets of the people.

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“Our resolve is to identify areas of funding to enable us give life back to our people through serious revenue drive that will not be a burden on our people but will yield responsible finances to the coffers of government through, mostly God given resources, tourism and other nature endowed resources.

He continued: “Our very fertile land and forest reserves will help in generating enormous resources for use for the state as we look inwards to better the lot of our people other than waiting for crumbs from the table of the federal government.

“We will run an all-inclusive government to access ideas and contributions from within and without the immediate environment. We will partner international agencies of development to enhance the economy of Ondo state.”

On the chances of PDP winning the South-West state, the aspirant said he has worked hard alongside other party men and women to build the party, from a party that could not win an election to a party that can win elections.

“Remember that in the February 23rd general elections, we won two seats at the senate, we won three seats in the House of Representative and two state assembly members. We won the Presidential election. So we are ready.

“Besides, there are certain things the party did not do well in the past- the issue of this unwritten law about zoning. In Ondo state, it is palpable, it is alive and when you don’t zone, people will zone for you.

“I am very confident and I can assure you that we are going to win the governorship election by the grace of God.”

He dismissed the possibility of stepping down for any aspirant, adding that he’s prepared to accept the outcome of free and fair primaries regardless of where the pendulum swings.

Vanguard