From Tony Osauzo, Benin
A leading governorship aspirant on the platform of Labour Party (LP) for next September Edo State gubernatorial election, Kenneth Imansuangbon, has promised to return the state to the good days of the administrations of Professor Ambrose Alli and Gen. Sam Ogbemudia of defunct Bendel State by creating jobs for the teaming unemployed youths.
Imansuangbon, a Lawyer popularly known as ‘riceman’, made the pledge Tuesday evening at the Palace of the Oba of Benin, where he informed the Oba of his intention to contest the governorship election and to receive royal blessings from the revered monarch.
During the visit which timing coincided with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) announcement of the release of the governorship election timetable for Edo and Ondo States, Imansuangbon, further pledged his allegiance to traditional institutions if given the opportunity to govern the state.
Accompanied by top LP chieftains in the state, the aspirant, an educationist and businessman, pointed out that a state where the youths are gainfully employed is a secured state.
“Mine is to create jobs for the younger ones, enough is enough for joblessness. If you create jobs you have created a secured state. I will swiftly and quickly secure the state through job creation. I am from the private sector, what I have learnt over the years in the private sector is how to create jobs; how to fix schools; how to make people happy through regular payment of salaries”, said and promised to make education accessible to all Edo children if given the opportunity to govern the state.
“I want to make sure that education will not be a burden to parents in Edo State. Children who should be in school must be in school under my watch as governor. Also, I want to make sure our teachers are well paid as at when due. This is what I have been doing as a proprietor of a private school.
“My priority is to take away the suffering we are experiencing today in Edo State; the bad roads that are every nook and corner of the state; the pains and shame of bad roads in our state, I am concerned in fixing them in the first one year in office,” Imansuagbon further promised.
In his response, the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, while declaring that the Benin throne is apolitical, said: “We have prayed for you; I mandated the Chiefs to pray for you.
“The Benin throne remains apolitical. We cannot accept one and leave the other. So, we will endeavour to pray quietly for a man who will respect the people, make them happy and put food on their table. A man that will respect traditional institutions.”