As the September 21 governorship election in Edo State draws near, a leading governorship aspirant on the platform of Labour Party (LP), Tom Iseghohi, has promised to make the state an investment haven if elected as governor.
Iseghohi, the Group Managing Director, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria, said he would ensure good governance and proper management of the vast resources in the South-South state.
Iseghohi, an indigene of Uromi, Esan Northeast Local Government Area, in Edo Central Senatorial District of the state, spoke at state secretariat of LP in Benin City over the weekend during his official declaration to vie for the governorship election.
A statement by his campaign office stated that he was upbeat of emerging victorious during the party’s primary election billed for next month.
He said: “Although, it is difficult to be proud of Edo State right now, I know how to change the current situation for the better. I have done so in many organizations around the world. Organisations, whose value exceeds $200 billion, ten times bigger than Nigeria’s budget. I have reformed them to never go down or be broke again. I am a transformation expert, a specialist at rebuilding moribund sleeping giants, whose challenges make Nigeria’s challenges a child’s play.
“I am doing this (vying for Edo governorship), because the hands we have now, have shown that they lack capacity to give us safety, security, infrastructure, unity, education, healthcare, housing and jobs. They have failed abysmally for 24 years, and we must send them packing. I want to put an end to the suffering of my people, and within two to three years, I promise you that you will see an amazing change.
“The old and recycled recurring decimals have tried their best. We supported and gave them time and space to do their best, but we have nothing to show, but poverty, sickness and despair. It is time for them to go home to rest. It is time for us to employ people who know how to do the job, to take over the job. We can no longer tolerate lies, incompetence and failure”.
Iseghohi, who is also the Chairman of Emerging Global Capital, insisted that he did not enter the race late, and that he was not worried about the presence of equally formidable and highly-experienced aspirants on LP’s platform.
He was received by Edo State Chairman of the party, Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi and other members of his executive, and promised to ensure a level-playing field for all the aspirants.
“I have been transforming bigger, and more difficult organisations for decades. Why not do it in my beloved Edo State? Everything we need is in Edo, except good governance. Edo, based on size and resources, is like a country, and is bigger than 30 countries in this world. Edo has everything. We are the richest state in Nigeria, based on just location and intellectual capacity. When you add our strategic location, minerals, agriculture, marine economy, digital prowess and the $8 billion a year our Edo brothers and sisters send to us from the diaspora, no other state even comes close to the richness of Edo, but our resources are being mismanaged. We have ourselves to blame for believing their lies and tolerating their incompetence.
“No one in Edo State should be hungry, unsafe, uneducated, not have protection of the law or be poor, yet we are all poor. The Edo person is one of the best human beings in the entire world. I have travelled in my small way around the world, I know what I am saying. Tell us Edo people the truth, show us the positive path and do not cheat us. Then, you have a partner that will stay with you, no matter what,” he said.
Iseghohi also described Edo indigenes as excellent, smart, and loyal people, but lamented that most of the leaders had taken undue advantage of the loyalty, while declaring that the bad leaders must now pack their load, and go home.
