FREEPRESS – The Edo State PDP Governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, said he is overwhelmed with joy—-over the huge support and solidarity he had received from Edo people and other well-meaning Nigerians, ahead of the rescheduled September 28 governorship election, saying victory is assured by the grace of Almighty God.
He called on all Edo State people—-including those living outside the state and other registered voters, to come out enmass on the Election Day and vote for PDP, advising them to refuse to be induced by Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led APC and its puppet candidate, Godwin Obaseki, who strongly believe that the conscience of the electorate could be bought by mere rice and salt.
In a press statement signed by Efe Igbinovia for the campaign organisation, the PDP candidate once again, assured the Edo people that in spite of the surreptitious devious plotting by Oshiomhole-led APC leaders to manipulate the election, they would fall flat.
According to the statement, ‘’Day after day, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is being assured by the good people of Edo State and other eligible voters living in Edo State that they are strong-minded and prepared to kick out the APC government in our state.
‘’He is overwhelmed by the passion of the people towards his project to rescue our state; the people have made it clearly in the past weeks that this election is not about Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu or PDP, but the urgent need to free Edo State from the hands of those who want to destroyed it.
‘’On our part, we want to once again, assured the good people of Edo State that their votes will count; nobody or institution can rig and manipulate this election. We are ready to defend and protect our mandate with the last drop of our blood. And we know God is on our side.’’
Ize-Iyamu who had a wonderful interactive session with the Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) during the week, said the event afforded him the opportunity to tell them his plans for the health sector as contained in his ‘’Simple Agenda.’’
He promised to formulate and implement a comprehensive healthcare policy to replace the current healthcare system of Edo State that is in shambles.
‘’As part of the comprehensive plan to revamp, reform and restore the ailing health care sector, harmonization of federal, state and local government health care plans and the incorporation of the National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP)—–with appropriate costing complemented with robust capacity building, will be carried out’’, Ize-Iyamu assured.
‘’Edo State will develop its strategic health development plan termed Simple Strategic Health Development Plan”.
The major strategic health plans, according to the governorship hopeful, include, setting targets for intervention to reduce prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and the prevalence of child and maternal morbidity and mortality reduced to the barest minimum. And to increase life expectancy through an integrated, reformed, restructured and functional health care system, and provide the personnel, manpower and institutions that will assist our people by ensuring access to good healthcare delivery.
Others include setting up a functional disease control agency for surveillance, monitoring and evaluation of disease in the state to be named the Edo State Centre for Disease Control; encourage public/private partnership by promoting private sector participation, standardization and compliance and establish appropriate regulatory institutions to set standards, monitor and enforce compliance.
He also promised robust plans on our primary health care, family planning, rural health care, cottage hospital, genera/specialist hospital, and environmental health sanitation.
‘’We want to say again that this election is not only about PDP or Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; this election is about the economy, our future, redemption for the Edo person; enough of the oppressive government. We must join hands together to change the change’’, Ize-Iyamu added.
‘’With the experience I have gathered through the years, in government and from the private sector, I know how to fight for you and I am determined to fight for you. I will fight to make sure we have the best trained, best equipped and best motivated teachers in the country.
‘’And in order to do this, first we must revive our teacher training colleges. I will fight to bring our children into the digital age. They must be able to compete with their mates around the world.
‘’I will fight to ensure that we evolve the best healthcare industry in Nigeria and bring medical tourism to Edo State. Maternal mortality and infant mortality which currently stands at over 17% nationally is unacceptable and must be reversed.
‘’We must create jobs to reduce crime and I will be tough on crime. We will launch a –See Something, Say Something (SSSS) campaign across the state to ensure that criminals find our state an unbearable place to do business.’’
Ize-Iyamu also promised to restore the dignity and pride of the young women in partnership with NGOs in the state, country and across the world, and ensure that the average Edo woman is as resourceful, efficient and productive as women in the most advanced countries.
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