Yesterday was one great day that will go down in the annals of our revolutionary movement.
Comrade Mohammed from Edo North did unveil one of our redemption programmes which was first implemented in our state – Free Education Programme. This benefited us immeasurably under the distinguished leadership of late Prof. Ambrose Alli.
We hereby restate our firm resolve to toe this line and revisit his Free Education days.
This package which we enjoyed at no cost made us the most educationally advantaged state in the Federation of Nigeria at the time, a prestigious and enviable position we carelessly lost to the locust years of rudderless leadership.
It will be a great disservice, in fact an irredeemable mortal “sin” against man and the Almighty God if we rever Alli without reincorporating and implementing one of his ever laudable programmes for which he and his quasi-socialist party – the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria – are remembered for.
At birth, according to John Locke, the human mind could be likened to a tabula rasa – a clean slate which requires an implant of the sensory data as the learning process commences.
Education, therefore, is fundamentally important as it does not only create a sound mind in a sound body but also keep one abreast of times and expose one to things hitherto unknown via extensive research, analysis and in-depth study.
In developed societies, you don’t need financial inducement and resultant vote merchandising to effect leadership change.
In this connection, education remains the only moral compass to keep us better informed, guide and lead us where and when necessary as we march into the unknown.
This is not just a promise but a pledge we remain irrevocably committed to redeem all things considered.
Former Governor Oshiomhonle did say in his interview with the Vanguard newspapers, September 14, 2019 edition to be precise that he raised our annual Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from N240 million naira to N2.1 billion naira.
This is ridiculous, if you ask me because this bogus amount of money in Naira when converted to the Euro is below €5.1 million whereas the Netherlands, a country in Northwest Europe raked in no fewer than €92 billion from the sale and export of agricultural produce which is what Nigeria with a population of over 200 million earns in three years.
You know as well as I know that we are in a federation where every state is allowed to develop at its own pace.
If Holland a country with a comparatively smaller land mass could rake in so much money I think our team of highly competent technocrats could do more by proper development, implementation of our agricultural concept and initiative via departure from Nigeria’s medieval agro-template.
At one time, we all enjoyed free education at all levels and we could enjoy much more via leadership change and organisational efficiency.
The journey towards grassroots mobilisation and sensitization must begin today.
We are pressed for time therefore let the race commence and where we cannot run , let us walk and where this is difficult, let us crawl, in fact, we must by all means necessary keep moving.
— Iyoha John Darlington
Edo State Governorship Candidate Designate
People party of Nigeria (PPN)
