By SAM JONES
YENAGOA (Sundiata Post) – The Bayelsa State governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Udengs Eradiri, has alleged that there were plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to spend N30 billion on election day on November 11 this year.
Eradiri made the allegation on Wednesday while unveiling his running mate, Commodore Benjamin Nathus (rtd) and his agenda to correspondents in Yenagoa.
He said the news was all over the streets that “they have set aside N30 billion to share to voters on election day.”
He unveiled a four-point agenda, PEAP, an acronym meaning People, Education, Agriculture and Power promising that he would revive the failed government enterprises if elected as governor.
Eradiri said his manifesto, the PEAP agenda, was his social contract with the people of Bayelsa State and stated that the people should question him if he failed to implement it as governor.
The one-time secretary and president of the Ijaw Youth Council Council (IYC) Worldwide regretted that Bayelsa State Government-owned companies were allowed to go moribund not yielding the desired returns thereby worsening the economic situation in the state.
He noted that as a young entrepreneur with some 45 employees, he would deploy his experiences to revive the businesses and further create jobs to boost government revenue.
Eradiri, 47, an engineer by profession, explained that he was compelled to join the governorship race to reverse the gross neglect of the developmental needs of the people, who earned one of the highest revenue but ranked the second poorest in the federation.
According to the former Commissioner for Youths and later environment in the state, it was both an irony and contradiction that the development index of Bayelsa is not commensurate to its monthly revenue from the Federation Account.
“My beloved state of Bayelsa is in dire need of selfless leadership and having examined by trajectory as a student activist, taxpayer, youth leader, commissioner and public service, I decided to offer myself instead of complaining.
“My record of service at Ministries of Youths and Environment shows that things can work when the leadership is committed. I had no funding as commissioner, but before I left the ministry I started generating N200 million monthly, that is my scorecard there.
“As a young man, I have the strength and capacity to do the job of governance of Bayelsa better and I will dismantle the obstacles to development of Bayelsa.
“I am driven by the passion to transform the state of Bayelsa and make life more meaningful for the people whose level of poverty is alarming and glaring due to the neglect of governance by the political class.
“I have garnered adequate experience and developed myself enough to govern and improve the living conditions of the people by efficiently deploying public funds that accrue to Bayelsa,” he stated.
Eradiri noted that the choice of Nathus, his deputy, an experienced military officer from the coastline settlemen of Odioma in Brass Local Government Area would add value to the LP government in Bayelsa.
“We are the only party that recognises the agelong political tradition of ‘fresh water and salt water’ combination for balance. I am from Yenagoa LGA (fresh water area) and my deputy hails from Brass LGA (salt water area) and we are hopeful of earning the support of the people on this project.”
Eradiri pledged to recover the Atala Marginal Oilfields licence which was revoked for being inactive and make it profit oriented to attract investment from people of the state.
Eradiri also promised to provide social amenities, including healthcare and education, boost human capacity development and prioritise infrastructure and job opportunities.
According to him, the agricultural potential of the state in fisheries, rice, sugarcane and other crops where Bayelsa has comparative advantages would be harnessed to provide raw materials for industries and processed for export.
He urged the electorate to shun monetary inducement to cast their votes and assess the candidates based on their commitment to societal growth before their forray into public office.
