GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has accused the PDP-led Federal Government of neglecting policemen who are left to fend for themselves in spite of the huge budgetary allocations to the Police in the last 16 years.
Speaking at a campaign rally of the All progressives Congress in Edo North Senatorial district, Oshiomhole said “PDP for 16 years has defrauded all Nigerians. Even the security agents are being defrauded by PDP Federal Government. They give the Security Personnel promotion without increasing their salary. Is that a good promotion? When you do not pay the Security agent well, can he work well? Policemen are made to buy uniform with their own meager salary which ordinarily ought to be given to them for free by the Federal Government. How do you expect them to work with commitment under such conditions.
“I met a Police Officer who complained to me about their poor condition of work. He said even the rank they gave to him is not commensurate with his certificate and the AK-47 gun given to him to go after robbers is less sophisticated compared to that of the robbers. How can they apprehend criminals when they themselves are being robbed by the PDP-led Federal Government?”
Oshiomhole continued: “Everywhere you go, PDP has destroyed every aspect of the nation. They privatized electricity using their friends to acquire PHCN now called Distribution Company (DISCO) and at the end of the month, they bring a fixed charge for the people to pay even when they do not give them light. For 16 years, they could not give us light. We are forced to use generators. Kerosene price has gone up beyond the reach of the common people.
“How much are you buying Petrol today? PDP will tell you it is N87 but in reality, it is sold for over N120 and even at that, getting it to buy is a challenge. So I ask you on Saturday to go to the polling centres with your PVC and vote PDP out of power. If they give you money, collect it and vote against them because there is no receipt and we cannot continue living under a government that is bent on impoverishing its people.”
Governor Oshiomhole assured the people that APC has all it takes to turn the fortunes of the country around for good, maintaining that with General Muhammadu Buhari as President, corruption will be completely exterminated from the nation’s polity.
He said, “Let me assure you all that change will come. When change comes, APC knows that for Nigeria to make progress there must be security of lives and property. If you want security, vote for change. When APC takes over power, not only are we going to double the number of policemen and other Security Agents, we will ensure they are properly funded. We will re-equip the Army such that the soldiers will have the confidence of the past.
“We will bring down the price of petroleum products especially kerosene so that everybody can afford it but you will only need kerosene to cook, not to give you light because there will be electricity. When you put on light, it will work. We won’t need generator to grind pepper. Nigeria will grow, that is our promise.
“We cannot continue like this. When something is bad, you throw it away. PDP is not good and has failed the nation so we must vote them out. We have to try a new one called APC. They will try to deceive and mislead you; they will say Buhari will Islamize Nigeria. When he was Military Head of State, did he force anybody to become a Muslim? Did he Islamize the nation? Is it now that he is a democratic President that he will Islamize Nigeria?”
Oshiomhole said, “They have nothing to say. They cannot accuse him of being corrupt. He was minister of Petroleum he didn’t give himself oil block, they all say he is poor yet he was Head of State, he has only one house in Abuja, Does that not show that General Buhari is honest? Is that not the kind of person we need in Nigeria Government today?
“We need a man of truth. Once you vote for Buhari, the problem of Nigeria is solved. When Buhari comes to power, he will clean the nation of corruption. All those that have corruptly amassed Nigeria’s funds to themselves will run because we cannot continue with the way things are. He will sanitize the system. So vote for Buhari, vote for APC and vote for change”, he said.