The national leadership of the Labour Party (LP) on Tuesday, in Akure, Ondo state capital, unveiled the Secretary General of the Pan Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Sola Ebiseni, as its candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo.
Ebiseni while speaking with newsmen disclosed that he emerged as the LP candidate through withdrawal of the party’s candidate from the race in July, saying his emergence followed the electoral act procedures.
Ebiseni promised to adopt the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s cardinal points in improving the state which include free education, free healthcare, job creation, and rural development to rebuild the state, saying his government would be built on social welfarist ideology.
He said; “We intend to build on these ideological policy thrusts reworking them in tandem with the present dictates of our world, which, in the words of Heraclitus, is in a permanent and constant state of flux.
” We shall take full advantage of the vast resources of our state in terms of large pool of quality human resources, our position as the 5th amongst the nine oil producing states and our littoral capabilities with the longest shoreline in Nigeria, colossal forest and agricultural resources, precious rocks and other solid minerals dotting the landscape and beneath the grounds, well trained and non-partisan Civil Service for the all-round development of our great state”
According to him, all the projects initiated by Labour Party in the state had been neglected, saying the mother and care hospital, mega schools, and other people’s oriented programmes had been abandoned.
Ebiseni while unveiling his running mate, Dayo Awude, said he will make the provision of security his major priority if he is elected as governor of the state while his government will promote policies to improve the state’s agricultural sector.
He said; “Security concerns have become the most debilitating factor against development leading to unemployment and hunger.
“We shall run an administration of veritable teamwork and people participation based on the age-long and proven beneficial programmes enunciated above but calibrated as follows:
“We will in partnership with the Federal Government and its relevant agencies build on the efforts of successive administrations in providing adequate security within our borders and in regional collaboration with our neighbours as we all know that security of lives and property is the primary purpose and responsibility of government”
On agricultural rebirth and industrial revolution, Ebiseni said “We will re-enact the golden era of agriculture in the state through a revolution that we will inject mechanisation, and assist in the area bring to of equipment and inputs to farmers. We will also ensure that our farmers are safe in their farms.
“We will get our people working again by putting in place measures that will encourage and enhance industrialisation with the objectives of mass creation of jobs and employment.
” There shall be free child and maternal health care services. We shall build more Health Centres and hospitals to bring health
care services closer to the people and train more personnel in all sectors with affordable access to drugs”
Ebiseni who solicited the support of the people of the state said, “The November 16th, 2024 election is another potent instrument to choose a governor who shall be in charge of our dear state.
“In this connection, we are confronted with the choice of either a governor that will assume office without a clear focus on how to manage the state, therefore waste or mismanage our resources and leave our state worse than he met it, a governor that will see state resources as his personal resources and those of his cronies or a governor who is well prepared, full of experience, armed with requisite intellectual sagacity, and one eager to hit the ground running to mobilise the people, cultivate the vast resources of the state and be the reference point in good governance.
“Without sounding immodest I make bold to say that this third scenario captures personality and intentions. I hereby yield to the call of the good people of Ondo State to offer myself for service on the platform of Labour Party.
” It is in fulfilment of my determination, in conjunction with my running mate and other like minds to provide our people a viable option to drive the developmental machineries on the right path of progressive politics for which our dear State is reputed”
Some leaders of the party at the declaration include Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, Dr Kingsley Okundaye, Prof Theophilus Ndubuaku, and Folu Bademosi, who are members of the National Transition Committee (NTC).
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