Ekiti guber: ADC candidate, Bejide lists agriculture, staff welfare as top priority

*Rates APC govt in the state low

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Ekiti State, Ambassador Patrick Oluwadare Bejide has identified developmental of agriculture and welfare of the people as key on his agenda if he is elected the next governor of the State come June 20 next year.

This is as Bejide has rated the current All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration in Ekiti State low in terms of performance.

The ADC governorship candidate spoke on Wednesday while answering questions from Journalists after being presented with his certificate of returns at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja by its Deputy National Chairman (North East), Mr Babachir Lawal on behalf of the National Chairman, Senator David Mark.

Bejide, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Canada, promised to raise the morale of civil servants, increase their welfare and make sure that an average Ekiti man is a proud person once again.

According to him, “Years before now, all you needed to say is that you are from Ekiti State. We were well regarded everywhere. But now the bad boys have taken over. We will change that. We will change that narrative.

“Again, I believe agriculture is very key in the development of the states. Ekiti State has the potential of producing food for both Lagos and Abuja.

“We stand in the middle. We will promote agriculture. We will also encourage the public servants. We will raise their morale. We will increase their welfare and make sure that an average Ekiti man is a proud person once again. “Those are the things we want to do immediately when we are elected”, he said.

Continuing, Bejide said, “We are members of the political class. I belong to that very big class. And I’ve been in the political terrain for a while. At the moment, the state government is not doing well for the people. And they are yearning for a change. A change in respect of provision of infrastructure.

“If you are coming from kwara state, the moment you enter Ekiti state, you begin to face the ordeal of bad roads. If you are coming from Ondo states, it is the same story. So the people are looking for somebody who will salvage the situation.

“We are going to win. We are going to run a good campaign. We are going to run a good campaign in Ekiti State and we are going to win. We are not just contesting for the purpose of contesting.

“We are contesting to win the election and I can assure you we are going to do well”, he said.