By USMAN ALIYU

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday led a delegation of top APC leaders to Benin, the Edo capital, for the final push ahead of the governorship election slated for Sept. 21.

Among APC topnotchers who attended the rally were Senate President Godswill Akpabio, National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, state governors and many others.

In his address, Shettima described the APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo, as a seasoned leader with a proven track record of excellence.

According to him, Okpebholo is the right man to take Edo to the next level.

He stressed the importance of unity and peace in achieving progress, declaring that ?signing the peace accord without hesitation shows dedication to putting the interests of Edo above everything?.

According to him, with the increase in allocation to states, the incoming government should have adequate resources to bankroll developmental projects.

In his remark, Ganduje urged the electorate to vote en mass for the APC candidate.

?The clouds of intimidation have been lifted and the ground is fertile for our party?s vision to flourish. Edo has become a symbol of literary and economic resurgence,? he said.

The APC national chairman praised the state?s leadership of the party, stressing that its commitment had been unwavering.

Speaking shortly after he received the APC flag, Okpebholo promised to revive the economy of the state.

The APC flagbearer said that Edo had suffered for long, adding that voting out the PDP remained the only way to restore hope.

?We are voting for education; we are voting security, we are voting for social infrastructure, good health care service and agriculture.

?For the agriculture sector, we are going to provide loans for farmers and soft loans for our market women,? he said.

The APC candidate promised to employ 10,000 teachers, with half of that figure coming in the first 100 days in office.

He promised to declare a state of emergency on infrastructure, decrying the deplorable state of roads in the state.

Other stalwarts, who canvassed votes for the APC, included Akpabio, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole and Gov. Bassey Ottu of Cross River. (NAN)

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