AUSTIN OYIBODE
The Asagba of Asaba, Obi Professor Chike Edozien, on Thursday told presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Yemi Osibanjo that though the people of Asaba, the Delta state capital have forgiven the genocide meted on them during the civil war by troops of the federal government, the Asaba people are desirous of a federal university to make them feel the presence of federal government in the ever growing city.
The monarch made the statement when Professor Osibanjo with his entourage visited the palace in continuation of his 2023 presidential consultation to prominent Nigerians and party delegates across the country.
The monarch told the vice president that though when Osibanjo visited the palace a few months back the vice president told him that the best way was to go through the state house assembly in actualizing the federal university, the traditional ruler said he sees no reason going through the state assembly in a bid to actualize that goal.
He also told the presidential aspirant that electricity supply was a challenge and that the federal government needed to attend to the power issue that is crippling economic activities across the country. He challenged Osibanjo saying “If we have a government it should provide power for Nigerians.”
Another issue the monarch mentioned was insecurity which is a major problem that seems to have overwhelmed the Nigerian government. The traditional ruler told the vice president that the government needed to deal with insecurity if it wants the nation to move forward.
He suggested that the challenge could be handled if communities are given power to secure themselves and the resources provided by the Nigerian government. He called for traditional rulers to be given roles and powers to secure their people since the federal government seems overwhelmed by the security challenge.
The monarch as well told the presidential aspirant that the nation is bedeviled by poverty and hunger, saying for the 250 ethnic groups in the nation to live in unity, the Nigerian government must find means of bridging the hunger gap and creating strategy to provide means of livelihood for all Nigerians.
Earlier, Osibanjo had told the monarch that he was in the palace of the Asagba of Asaba to inform him of his decision to contest for the office of the president in the 2023 presidential election.
He said having been in the vice president’s office for the past seven years, he is well informed and equipped with relevant skills to pilot the affairs of the nation better than any other aspirant in the country.
He said his desire is to serve the nation with all he has, saying he has what it takes to lead Nigeria and challenge the challenges in the nation.
