Retired Major-General Charles Airhiavbere, one of the Edo governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, has expressed his capacity to beat the ruling Peoples Democratic Party at the September 21 poll.

Mr Airhiavbere said this on Tuesday when he spoke with journalists shortly after submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms at the party secretariat in Abuja.
He promised to address the prevailing security challenge in the state, if given the mandate.

Mr Airhiavbere, also a former Executive Director of Finance and Administration at the Niger Delta Development Commission, said he planned to adopt the use of modern technology such as drones to address the challenge.

“We will make Edo safe and peaceful for the people, using security apparatus including modern technology such as drones and artificial intelligence. All the 18 Local Government Areas of the state will feel the impact of my government, and we will harness the state’s human capital resources to bring about more development.

“The people of the state will begin to feel the impact of my administration from my first day in office,” he said.

Mr Airhiavbere also promised to set up an Infrastructure Development Commission for the state to drive development in collaboration with international and local partners.

He advised the party leadership to ensure a level-playing field for aspirants in the February 17 governorship primaries.

He said, “Unless the man with the capacity, integrity and popularity is picked as APC candidate, it might be difficult for us to wrestle power from the PDP in the state. I have the capacity to collapse structures in PDP and Labour Party and bring the same into APC fold to ensure its electoral victory in the election,” Mr Airhiavbere said.

Twelve aspirants had so far purchased the APC Expression of Interest and nomination forms at the cost of N50 million for the party primaries.
Some of the aspirants included Senator Oserheimen Osunbor, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, David Imuse, Senator Monday Okpebholo, Gideon Ikhine, and Blessing Agbomhere.

(NAN)