Former governor of Edo State, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, said he was seeking the governorship to enable him to complete the job he initiated as governor of the state between May 2007 and November 2008.
This is as Labour Party (LP) aspirant, Kenneth Imansuangbon, promised to return the state to the good days of the administrations of Professor Ambrose Alli and Gen. Samuel Ogbemudia of defunct Bendel State by creating jobs for the teaming unemployed youths.
They spoke during their separate visits at the palace the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare 11, where they sought the monarch’s prayers and support for their gubernatorial race.
Professor Osunbor told the Oba that he is imbued with traits of excellence and that his slogan while campaigning to govern the state in 2007 was ‘Edo for Excellence’, adding that within the short period of his stay in office he exhibited excellence in governance.
“So, it is my desire to come back and complete my mission and also to contribute in my own way to assist Your Royal Majesty in developing our state to a very enviable level.
“To a level beyond what it is now. I know it is in the interest of Your Royal Majesty that whoever is coming to govern the state should be somebody who has the interest of the state and is prepared to do what is required to be able to elevate Edo State to an enviable level.”
He recalled that in his days as governor, he initiated a very successful students bursary scheme and ensured that pensioners were paid their pension arrears while ensuring that none of them was owed.
The Oba said the capability of the former governor was never in doubt and went down memory lane to recall how his guest then a Senator, went the extra length to make him comfortable during the process of his screening in the Senate chambers as an ambassador designate.
He promised him that a prayer team will be made to always put him in prayers so that he would be free from any harm and can achieve his heart desires.
Imansuangbon, lawyer, educationist and businessman popularly known as ‘Riceman’ said he was at the Palace of the Oba of Benin, to inform the monarch of his intention to contest the governorship election and to receive royal blessings from the revered monarch.
Accompanied by top LP chieftains, he 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 added.
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 endeavor to pray quietly for a man that will respect the people, make them happy and put food on their table. A man that will respect traditional institutions.”