As Nigeria grapples with numerous challenges, the significance of wise leadership cannot be overstated. Our country’s struggles are largely attributed to poor leadership, lack of capacity, and incompetence. Edo state, however, has a unique opportunity to chart a different course.
That our country is deficient of vital developmental indexes is attributable to the lack of wise leadership which attendant result is often failure to ensure that Nigeria’s potential crystalises into tangible development strides.
It is an indispensable criterion that any country which seeks to grow must first get its leadership right in order to appropriately harness her endowments, which in turn, impacts positively on the citizenry. Anything short of this amounts to a wild goose chase.
Narrow to Edo state in particular, the upcoming gubernatorial election on September 21 provides another opportunity for the people of the state to make a crucial decision that can either improve or mar the undeniable progress so far made by the current administration in the state.
It is an indisputable fact that the present Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in Edo state led by Governor Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki has laid a foundation for good governance. It will be tantamount to regurgitation to begin to enumerate areas that give credence to this claim. Suffice to state, however, that the civil servants in the state bear eloquent testimony of a state government that has the welfare and wellbeing of its workers and citizens at heart.
It is true that at a time when other state governments and their workforce are still engaged in endless debate on the feasibility or otherwise of payment of N60,000 minimum wage, the Edo state government had long, incredibly too, commenced the payment of the sum of N70,000 as its own minimum wage.
It is, therefore, not in doubt that by the time the labour unions and the federal government would have reached a truce in the current debacle, the Edo state government would also take the lead in jerking up the figure it doles out currently to the workers in the state.
As Edo people go to the polls, the choice must be made of that party that prioritises the welfare of our great state and its people. The PDP offers a beacon of hope in these trying times. With a track record of competent governance and a commitment to the well-being of Edo state, the PDP appears to be the clear choice for our state’s future.
The framework established by the Obaseki administration has set Edo state on a trajectory of progress and development. To continue on this path, it is crucial that we entrust the state’s future to competent hands. Asue Ighodalo and Osarodion Ogie, under the banner of PDP, embody the wise leadership Edo state needs.
With their combined expertise and vision, they will build on the gains made so far and propel the state towards greater heights. We cannot afford to falter or regress; instead, we must consolidate on the progress achieved and strive for even more impressive feats.
As Edo people, we must determine to come together to build a brighter future for ourselves, our children, and generations yet unborn. On September 21, let us vote to usher in a new era of prosperity, progress, and happiness for Edo state. We must safeguard and sustain our state’s future by voting a party that prioritises the welfare of our people.
No sane manager changes a winning team. The PDP offers an enhanced package to reinforce a fresh start, built on a foundation of competence, integrity, and a genuine commitment to the well-being of Edo state. Let us seize this opportunity to create a better future for ourselves and generations to come.
On September 21, we must loudly vote for the PDP.
Alari Felix, a seasoned legal practitioner and politician, writes from Benin, Edo state.
