PASTOR Amos Osalumese Areloegbe, is a gubernatorial aspirant in Edo State under the Labour Party. He was a pastor in living faith church and in the church of Reverend Chris Oyakhilome’s church. A Chattered Accountant by profession, he worked briefly before he yielded to the call to contest the next gubernatorial election. He speaks on his ambition as well as on other issues.
Excerpts:-
Can we know you, please?
Thank you very much, I am Pastor Amos Osalumese Areloegbe. I am a Chattered Accountant by profession. I am also a pastor and now a gubernatorial aspirant in the forth coming election.
What motivated you to contest the next gubernatorial election?
It was not my ambition to be a governor but the Almighty God spoke to me. I am a Chattered Accountant by training and I worked briefly. I was a pastor in the living faith church as well as in the Reverend Chris Oyakhilome’s church. I also wanted to start my own ministry when the call came that I should come and lead the people of Edo State as Governor.
How did you interpret the mandate?
Every child of God knows the voice of God and understands him when he is speaking. I have never dreamt of being a politician before. When the vision came, it took me three months to accept it. I met my senior pastor and discussed the matter with him and I told him how I suffered from high blood pressure as a result of the vision and he told me that if the vision truly came from God, then I should follow it.
Do you think that the Labour Party is the best platform for you to contest the gubernatorial election?
The Labour Party is a party that is all embracing. Every worker from all facets of our society belongs to the Labour Party. So you can see that the Labour Party is supposed to be the biggest party. I believe in the party because it is the worker’s party and non worker’s party.
What is your assessment of President Buhari’s style of leadership?
People see President Buhari from differents perspectives some people believe that he is witch hunting the opposition (PDP) some people see him as a tribalist while some people see him as someone who is doing the right thing. While I am not against him, I urge him to be fast in desire to bring about the desired transformation.
What is your take on how democracy is practised in Nigeria?
The truth is that democracy is not well practiced in Nigeria. Democracy is a people oriented government. It is participatory in nature and it is for the welfare and the betterment of the people. In Nigeria, it is said that democracy is not well practiced in Nigeria. The wealth of the country is being cornered by few people to the detriment of the majority. There is a great deal of oppression in our society because while some people are stupendously rich as a result of stolen wealth, many are very poor to the extent that they can not afford the basic things of life. What we have is dictatorial style of leadership and not democracy.
Who are your supporters?
I don’t have any godfather or money bags. I only have others orders whom I believe have done very well and I want to supersede them. I admire Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia because of his style of leadership. He had passion for good governance and that is why he achieved alot as Governor at that time.
People no longer trust politicians because when they are not in government, they say no thing but when they are in government, they say a different thing. What is your take on this?
I am a youth and I desire to impact this state as governor. I will not allow anybody to mislead me. I will run a clean and transparent government. We will carry everybody along. We will identify the needs of the people and we will tailor our government along that direction.
Tell us more on how this vision of yours came about?
I wanted to start my ministry in 2013 but God told me to stop. I had members. It might interest you to know that my father and younger brother are pastors. My younger brother had a big church abroad and I told him that we should have a branch in Nigeria but he told me that nothing stops me from having my own church. We got a land but I wanted a bigger land. It was in that process that I heard a voice saying that he has heard the cry of Edo people and that I should go and liberate them. I told him that I can’t go but God told me that he is sufficient for me. I started praying about it and God said that I should not tell my wife. He gave me a vision that when I become governor, I should have senior citizens home. I eventually revealed the vision to my wife who in turn told my father and he became angry. My brother abroad even told me to stay away from politics. I met papa Omobude and he prayed for me. my wife later agreed with me. My younger brother later said that he saw it in a dream and that I should go ahead. People have started donating to this vision. I have buses now and others are coming.
His Profile
Pastor Amos Osalumese Areloegbe, (CNA) was born on April 1, 1968 to Pastor Amos Aigbehi Areloegbe and Evang . Mrs. Roseline Imade Areloegbe (Nee Otokhagua) from Eguare Ewohimi in Esan South East Local Government; a retired Pastor from Assemblies of God Church. He attended Victory Primary School Ewah Road, Benin City and Eghosa Grammar School, Benin City. For his Tertiary Education, he studied at A.A.U. Ekpoma where he graduated in Accountancy. He became a chartered Accountant with ANAN. He is a Pastor. He has pastored in two Churches with Christ Embassy in Benin City before joining the Living Faith Church a.k.a Winners chapel. He worked with Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria from 2011- 2015(CRIN) in Ibadan, Oyo State as an Accountant. He was about his ministry duties when God told him to go back to Edo State to liberate His (GOD) People that He GOD) has heard their cry and He (GOD) is sending him (Pastor Amos) as a Son not just as a Servant to liberate them; so that the people will enjoy what it means “when the righteous rule….”. He would have argued with the idea and told God that he cannot, because to him politics appeared to be a dirty game full of Lies and deceit. But GOD told him that is why He (GOD) is sending him to change the system and that He (GOD) has chosen a Bini woman to be his deputy together they WILL govern Edo state. He (Amos) then asked God 3 questions.
(1) The finance- Politics cost money and as a civil servant, he asked where the financial support will come from? God told him He will raise men and women for this project and that the project is His.
(2) The people to win- God said His children are already waiting.
(3) What about after resigning from His practice and the people of Edo state reject him in the polls, people will laugh at him- God told him if the people reject him (Amos) by not voting for him, they have rejected Him (God) and the people of Edo State will be in bondage for another 8 years again and He (God) Will bless him (Amos) for obeying….
This is not my ambition but rather God’s vision. Are you ready to join in this vision?
On Agenda
I shall engage all Edo people to develop ownership mentality in all sectors. Every Edo person must know and realize that all government projects are his/her project OUR PROJECTS. White the judicial and legislative arms are daily carrying out their functions independently; the civil and public sectors will also be empowered to function maximally.
There will be total transparency and accountability to the people who are our partners in progress. We will ensure quarterly reporting of stewardship (INTERFACE) with all Edo citizens.
The Executive will be the Last to receive salaries after all civil and public servants.
Our intents and how to achieve them
I shall concentrate on five (5) areas and in the order listed:
INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT
• Construction of roads and bridges
• Lighting up of the state
• Beautification of major towns
• Investors and innovators Will be encouraged and partnered with
EDUCATION
• Creation of a FIELD-LINK computerization system for structures, teachers and students/pupils
• Introduction of CGPA based bursary for ELIGIBLE tertiary final year students
• Employment of teachers in both primary and secondary schools
• Up-to-date training and retraining of teachers
• Revitalization of technical skills in selected schools
· Introduction of Governors scholarship scheme based on practical science and non-science projects
• Special scholarship overseas
HEALTH
• Employment of health personnel
• Purchase of hospital equipment where necessary
• Routine maintenance of equipment
• Training and retraining of health personnel
· Trial of paramedics operations
WATER
• Reorganization of the water board
• Provision of drinkable water
Collaborative efforts Public Private Partnership (PPP)
ENERGY
• With federal government
• With private sector
SPECIAL PROJECTS
• The elderly care
• The youths
• Child care
• Women care
• Widows-indeed care
• Persons with special needs
• Agricultural reform through partnership programs
• Abolition of multiple taxation
• Support local government autonomy but with supervision
• Pilot project on shelter
• Pilot project on insurance policy scheme
• Promotion of sporting activities
• Make Edo state a tourist hub
• Development of a sea port
• Ensure security of all citizens.
