TheCable

Godwin Obaseki, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Wednesday’s Edo state governorship election, says the present economic crisis is “a good omen” for Nigeria.

Speaking in Benin on Sunday at a forum for student unions of tertiary institutions across the state, Obaseki said the recession will help Nigerians to “think fast and secure a brighter future”.

“To me, I will say the present economy crisis is a good omen for us. We need to think and act fast,” he said.

“Spending more than $17billion on food importation yearly should not be for country such as Nigeria because we have the resources.

“We have the land and human resources that can produce same food we import, only if we can evolve policies that will make it for the youth to be effectively deployed to production.”

He said youths constitute the larger productive segment of the society, consequently necessitating the formulation of policies to engage them productively, in order to fight crime and improve the economy.

Obaseki explained that he wanted to be the governor of the state to make the state better and improve the people’s standard of living.

“I am not in the race to acquire more wealth, because I’m already blessed. I want to be successful by translating what I have attained to those who need it,” he said.

“We are in a race against time. Population is growing rapidly but infrastructure is not growing in a corresponding way.

“There is need for us, as a state and people, to plan ahead before we are caught in the web. I want to be part of this plan, which accounts for the reason I ‘m seeking to be governor of this state.”

To realise his governorship ambition, Obaseki will have to defeat a host of other candidates, particularly Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a pastor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).