The governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Engineer Joshua Olukayode Popoola, has pointed out, with confidence that he has what it takes, to beat the incumbent governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Teslim Folarin of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the candidate of the Accord Party, Chief Adebayo Adelabu and others, in the coming 2023 governorship, election.
He argued tha, he is working hard to achieved it.
He said apart from that, the people of the State are fed up with the old order and are yearning for a fresh and reliable order, that they can depend on.
The NNPP candidate made these disclosures, when he featured on a live programme, at the Parrot FM station, in Ogbomoso, during his familiarization tour of the area, with the South West leader of the party, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Adebisi Olopoeyan, the deputy Governorship candidate, Alhaja Adesope Medinat and other leaders of the party.
He said the so called big political parties, of the PDP and the APC, are no longer in the minds of the people because they have let them down and the citizens of the State, are now looking forward to a different political order, which as the candidate of the NNPP, is championing and ready, to change the narratives.
He said the acclaimed big political parties, would be disappointe, as the people are ready to reject them flatly in the coming elections, which he said would be highly competitive, which he is sure of winning.
On what has always been the case, when political parties fuse together to back a candidate, Engineer Popoola said, as far as the NNPP is concerned, “we are not going to step down for anybody but we would not mind If others would like to team up with us”. We won’t even mindd if the incumbent, Engineer Seyi Makinde wants to step down for us if he has the courage to do so because he has claimed that he does not have a Presidential but we have our own, who is Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso”
He argued that the PDP and the APC have been tested, and they have let down the people, which is why they are no longer wanted because they have made the people of the country, poorer than they met them.
He reiterated his plan to boost agriculture in Oyo State and the implementation of agro based industries, in accordance with the agro raw materials, available in each zones of the State. This he said, would give rooms for more employments in the the State.
He also emphasized the needs, for the local governments to be autonomous, a system, which he pointed out, would make developments spread to all nooks and corners of the State, as the local government would be encouraged to engage in productive ventures that would create jobs for the people at the grassroots.
He pointed out that their autonomy would lessens the burden on the State government, as this he added, would increase their internally generated revenue.
The NNPP candidate said he believes in the empowerment of the youths. “That is why various programmes under the party’s Youth and women initiatives have been put in place, which would make those who are beneficiaries, to be self employed and as well become employers of Labour.
He promised that all parts of the State would be integrated into his government, as no section of the State, would be left out of the scheme of things.
On what his government would do for the people of Ogbomosho, Engineer Popoola, reassured them that they would benefit from the dividend of democracy, just like other parts of the state, saying, “i am assuring you that all the people of Oyo state under NNPP would be treated equally and their would be no discrimination of any kind”
On religion, Engineer Popoola said that he woild ensure religious harmony and there would be no segregation because we are one, brothers and sisters serving the same God.