Edo Guber: “Hold me responsible, if not transparent in governance” – Akpata

The governorship candidate of the Labur Party, in Edo State, Olumide Akpata, said, he should be held responsible if, he refused to be transparent and accountable as governor of Edo State.

The former national President of the Nigerian Bar Association stated this over the weekend in Lagos in a chat with newsmen ahead of the Edo State governorship slated for 21st September, 2024.

According to him, his policies and programmes will be people centred and will do the will of the people in line with democratic values.

“Government is not rocket science although some people will say, Olu, you have never been in government before but I have been managing large number of people and resources. I have ran a law firm having one hundred and twenty people. I have run an association, Nigerian Bar Association, with hundreds of branches all over the country.

“I ran all of our programmes and events at NBA and I managed everything successfully, and left N1.5 billion in the account of the association when I walked away. So I have successfully managed men and resources, so it is not rocket science. One thing is that if you are intent on providing good governance for the people, you will do it; it’s all about the desire and will power,” the governor candidate said.

The governorship candidate assured that people would be at the center of his programmes.

“The first thing is that I will put people at the center of governance. People are no longer at the center of governance and I will restore that.

“How do you know the government that is running properly, you check its programmes and policies and see the one that has the greatest interest of the people through its policy executions. So what do I want to do differently?

“Edo today earns N17 billion a month and the question is what do you do with your resources. It should be to you use it for the people; to provide the good life for the people and make things easy for them though your programmes and policies, and also to look at them as the people you should focus on.

“Let me tell you one example of what the Edo State Government is doing today that is abysmal; the state government pulled down a hospital to build a museum. Then you ask yourself of what purpose is that action when there is the need for more healthcare facilities.

“I will instead build more hospitals if it were to be me. As the governor, I will build more health facilities. As a governor, one must understand that it is not your money that you are spending; you are just a caretaker, you are holding the brief for the people. So the allocation of this money must consider what will benefit the greater number of the people.”