A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressive Congress, APC in Edo State, and a Federal Commissioner on the board of the Code of Conduct Bureau , Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayima, has declared that he is not a member of the Labour Party and called on those erecting billboards across the State which portrays him as a member of LP to stop forthwith.
Agbonayima, a frontline gubernatorial aspirant for next year’s governorship election spoke at the palace of the Benin monarch where he had gone to inform the Oba of his intention to contest the election.
According to the former federal lawmaker, it is important to seek royal blessing before embarking on the project.
Responding to the emergence of his face on billboards with LP logo, Agbonayima clarified that he has never been a member of Labour Party.
“I am not a member of Labour Party and I do not intend to be in the future. As you can see for yourself, I am here with my supporters from the APC. You can see them all adorning the party uniform and paraphernalia, dancing and singing. So there is no iota of truth that I am in Labour Party, ” he cleared.
On what is driving his ambition, Agbonayima said that he decided to take a short at the plum job because he has what it takes to make Edo better than what it is at the moment.
“My ambition is about the people, building infrastructures, making food available for the people at affordable prices as well as guaranteeing their lives and property.”
Agbonayima explained further that government must provide for it citizens as it is done in developed countries and that is his driving force.
Reacting to the sentiments being canvased in certain quarters that it is the turn of Edo Central Senatorial District to produce the next governor of the State, the guber hopeful said that Edo governorship is about Edo State and not a section of the State.
“In as much as I share in their sentiments, I make bold to say that such sentiments is not in line with democratic philosophy. It is a lazy man argument which does not hold water. As far as I am concerned, Edo governorship position is up for contest and only those who are fit and strong should go into the race and let the strongest win. If the winner comes from Edo South or North or Central, so be it provided the process is free and credible. At any rate, Edo South has the number to swing and determine which of the zone gets the ticket, ” Agbonayima declared.
Born on January 1, 1961, Agbonayinma Johnson attended Agbado Primary School in Benin City before proceeding to Airwele High School for his secondary education in 1983. He subsequently obtained degree in Security and Intelligence at the University of Houston, Texas.
Before representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 2015 and 2019, Agbonayinma Johnson’s political astuteness manifested at a tender age in the United States of America when, around 1988, he won a campaign for the mayors and had good relationship with renowned leaders like former President Bill Clinton and George Bush.