The Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare has said the All Progressive Congress (APC) and its candidate, Monday Okebholo will reduce the minimum wage of workers and inflict more suffering and hardship on the people of the State if given a chance at the governorship seat.
Nehikhare who spoke while briefing journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital, urged Edo people to reject the APC and its candidate at the poll on September 21, 2024, so that they don’t actualize their plans of doubling the pains and hardship faced by the people already perpetuated by the party at the national level.
He said, “APC has ruined the Nigerian economy, and the Edo State people need to be on the alert because if the party is voted into power in the State, they will have the same economy as the Nigerian economy.
“Their candidate is boasting that he doesn’t know how Governor Godwin Obaseki is paying the minimum wage of N70,000 and hopes the Federal Government doesn’t go above N50,000. He plans that if he wins and the Federal Government works around N50,000 as the minimum wage, he will reduce the minimum wage of the State from N70,000 to N50,000.”
The Commissioner continued: “As a party, we condemn this thought and as a candidate, he should come out and deny it. He should come out to tell us how he plans to sustain the minimum wage that the State Government is paying and also that of the pensioners which the Edo State Government is paying as and when due as well as the Edo State Health Insurance Scheme with over 350,000 subscribers as of today.”
Noting that the APC candidate is incompetent and without the knowledge on to lead a sophisticated State like Edo on the path of development, Nehikhare further stated, “This is election season and we all belong to one political party or the other. The three political parties have their own candidates but it’s two political parties that have been campaigning across Edo State and unfortunately, the third party which is the major opposition party, the APC, is parading a candidate that has been described by some of their members as a mute candidate.
“That description is very apt because as we speak today, I don’t think any of us has heard him speak on any policy direction or pathway to prosperity or his party manifesto.
“When we look at this deeper, you discover that it’s not peculiar to him but the party he belongs to, the APC which is now a bad dream. They were elected at the national level and have caused great damage to the Nigerian economy.”
Speaking on ongoing projects by the State Government, the Commissioner added, “Government is reconstructing and constructing new roads at Uwelu and Adolor, among other projects as well as tackling the erosion issue in the State. The government has been strategic right from day one, doing all to ensure Edo people have the best. We want a peaceful Edo.”
On his part, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie said the State Government has uncovered plans by some unscrupulous elements to attack the judiciary, warning that the government will not tolerate such illegal acts.
He said, “We have gathered intelligent reports and have uncovered plans by some unscrupulous politicians from the Labour Party and the APC who are sponsoring an attack on the judiciary, and the Government will not allow it.
“The judiciary will be protected by security agencies. Government will spare no effort to ensure that the plan against the judiciary will not stand.”
He urged parents to be on alert so that these people will not put the lives of their children in danger, adding, “It is disheartening to hear that a society which we have all sat down to build, certain politicians from APC and the Labour Party are now instigating Edo people against normal judicial processes.
“Edo State Government will not tolerate it as the government will not allow or tolerate any group to gather or match towards the Court House to intimidate Judges and lawyers.”He restated, “Things are hard as the APC is making life difficult for the people and we don’t want the suffering to be reinforced in Edo State. Edo people should not allow APC to bring the crisis at the national level here and as such we call on the people of the State to vote for the PDP to ensure the sustainability of the developmental strides of Governor Godwin Obaseki