Prof. Sylvester Akhaine, a former aspirant for the 2024 Edo gubernatorial election, has expressed disappointment over the failure of candidates to address the state’s challenges in their campaigns.
Akhaine, who participated in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, shared his concerns in a statement to pathwaynews on Sunday in Benin. He lamented that the campaigns have been devoid of substance, with candidates focusing on rhetoric rather than presenting tangible solutions to the state’s issues.
“Today, the landscape of Edo State is visibly underlined by infrastructural deficit and the absence of basic social facilities. The condition of schools is damnable to the extent that only an insignificant number of staff is on the government payroll. Others are hired by development associations and old boys associations. Education budgets are among the lowest in the country. Indeed, this reality contradicts claims by successive governments to the effect of having addressed them with billions of our hard-earned resources,” the professor said.
The APC chieftain also decried the security situation in the state and emphasized the need for a new government bold enough to invest in infrastructure and education.
“Whoever wishes to govern the state must preoccupy him/herself with the issues outlined above. The aspirant must explain the issues clearly to our people, including how resources will be mobilized to solve the problems beyond the monthly allocation from the central pool. We need a government bold enough to invest in infrastructure and education. We need policies and programs that are meaningful to the ordinary people, not social media figures and propaganda,” Akhaine stated.
He added that due to neglect by successive governments, Edo State could not be ranked as a leader in any notable sector of socio-economic activities.
