A three-time Commissioner in Ondo state, Olusola Ebiseni has joined the race for the governorship of the state, with a promise to make use of the opportunity of the natural resources available to boost the state’s economy if elected governor.
Ebiseni, who running on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the promise shortly after collecting his expression of interest and nomination forms at the party’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
The aspirant also lamented that despite the status of Ondo state as an oil-producing state, that has not, in any way, reflected in the economy of the state.
The Ondo state governorship election has been scheduled to hold on October 10, this year by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He said, “Let me say this, that governance is a continuum. And therefore like every aspect of our social existence, we will make our contributions.
He continued “What would I do differently? I told you I have served as commissioner three times, I have served as chairman of local government, but I have not been the captain of the ship. What I will do differently is to move the state economically from a civil service state, in terms of economic status.
“Not withstanding the fact that we are an oil-producing state, that does not reflect in the economy of the state.
“How then do we intend to take advantage of our God-given natural resources? We must enlarge the economy and diversify opportunities for our people,” he promised.
“I am a product of different governments in Ondo state. In the South-West, there are certain things we take for granted. We take free education for granted, we take free health services for granted, we take some social welfare program for granted.
“We can not afford to commercialize education in our state. We cannot afford to consign women to a death sentence because they want to deliver babies.
“What this administration inherited was a mother and child care. When a woman walks into the hospital, even with caesarean operation, she would deliver freely, without paying a dime.
“All of these have been commercialized and our women are now made to patronized quacks with unnecessary fatalities”.
Continuing, Ebiseni said, “We have conducted and consulted widely with the like spectrum of critical stakeholders both in the PDP and the Nigerian political environment.
“From the ward to the National level. I have consulted and so widely with critical stakeholders of our party, up to leadership at the national level. I have also had very useful discussions with other leaders of Nigeria.
“I’m a member of the National Caucus of the Afenifere, I have consulted widely with the leadership and the leadership of our people in the Niger Delta and therefore offer myself this day to the glory of God and to the benefit of humanity as governor of Ondo state”, he said.
