PROTOCOLS
Let me begin my address by borrowing from the words of one of the most reverenced Pope – Pope Francis who said, and I quote:
“Every man, every woman who has to take up the service of government, must ask themselves two questions: 'Do I love my people in order to serve them better? Am I humble and do I listen to everybody, to diverse opinions in order to choose the best path?' If you don't ask those questions, your governance will not be good”.
I was raised by parents of Biase origin who instilled in me the same love, selfless dedication to service and unparalleled loyalty to the people of Biase that I saw them exhibit so often.
2. In view of this, I have carefully meditated on the words of Pope Francis and come to the conclusion that I can humbly ask and answer those two basic questions hence my desire to offer myself to take up service of Government through representation of the good people of Biase LGA in the Cross River State House of Assembly come 2019.
3. The only way people can directly participate in the governance process is through voting members who can effectively represent them in the parliament. This makes it imperative for electorate to choose people who have what it takes to bring the presence of government closer to them. It is on this premise that I offer myself to serve.
4. Today will go into history as a day in which the journey to a purposeful representation in Biase, Cross River State begun. The abundant natural and human resources available in Biase Land would be prudently harnessed and judiciously managed, resulting in a land flowing with abundant milk and honey. There is every prospect of Biase becoming one of the highly developed LGAs in Cross River and in Nigeria, considering the abundant human and natural resources that the area is endowed with.
5. We are blessed with a favourable landscape and climate for agricultural development; sizeable deposits of solid minerals like tin ore, vibrant youth who have remained jobless; women with strength and vitality who have not been given adequate voice in the governance process. Harnessing these great but untapped potentials for the growth and development of the Area and the Cross River State as a whole require right people with the commitment, intellectual capacity, experience and Vision to break silos.
6. It is on this premise that I offer myself to serve the people through purposeful representation in the State House of Assembly where laws and allocation/distribution of the resources of the state through Budget Appropriation is done.
7. My good people of Biase, the question that keeps beating my imagination is how we have allowed bad politics to take pre-eminence over good governance and development of our constituency. Sadly too, the entire political system thrives on lies and propaganda.
8. We need to be weary of anti- social elements who want to acquire political power at all cost without having the interest of masses at heart. It is in this respect that I want bring about a total departure to the way of doing things if voted into power at the upcoming Party Primaries of our great party the PDP and the General Elections of 2019.
9. I am majorly coming into this race on account of the following reasons:
To ease the sufferings of the constituents through design and implementation of wealth creation, employment generation and poverty reduction.
To bring a new phase of governance that will respond to the needs of our people through development of critical infrastructure - building of roads, cottage and primary health centers, schools and offering scholarships to the indigent students from our constituency.
To open up the area to urbanization and bring development closer to the people.
To harness the agricultural and solid minerals potentials of the area thereby stimulating the growth of agro-allied and mining companies for job creation and improved revenues for the LGA and the State in general.
To run a people oriented representation through continuous interface and interaction with constituents on monthly/quarterly basis to receive feedback on areas of improvements.
10. These are my aspirations for the Biase Constituency but they will remain mere dreams if the good people of the area do not give us the mandate by supporting me in the forthcoming Party Selections and General Elections.
11. I have not joined the race to fight or outwit anybody, neither am I in the race for any unguarded selfish ambition. I have joined in response to the overbearing pressure from well-meaning sons and daughters of our land, party members, leaders, and stakeholders including religious groups, traditional elders, Youths, traders etc in the constituency beckoning on my humble self to rise up to the challenge of putting the area not just on the map of Nigeria but on the global map. I really feel humbled by this widespread confidence reposed in me.
12. Let me reiterate that I am not joining the race as a novice, but as someone who has journeyed through many spheres of development and acquired the right skills and experience to wade the current turbulent socio-economic storms in the state and the country at large. “Tough jobs require tough people with all that it takes to make tough choices”.
13. From the Banking Industry to the National Planning Commission now the Ministry of Budget and National Planning (the highest planning body in the country) and to being the Pioneer Executive Secretary of the Cross River New City Development Agency, I have garnered the experience and skills required to offer Biase people an unparalleled representation in the State House of Assembly.
14. As a former Banker, I have what it takes to unlock financing opportunities for the growth and development of Biase L.G.A. If given the chance, I will partner with both commercial and development banks to ensure that our petty business men and women, traders, farmers and youths access cheap funds to expand their activities. This will in turn create more jobs and improve the livelihood of our people.
15. As a former Planning Officer at the National Planning Commission, now the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, the highest development planning and policy formulation body in Nigeria, I will bring to bear my experience to ensure that we encourage the Executive arm to come up with people-centered development initiatives and policies that will transform the economic landscape of the State for the good of all Cross Riverians.
16. As the Pioneer Executive Secretary of the Cross River State New City Development Agency, I was able to lead the development of the Cross River New City Master Plan and ensured that Biase Local Government Headquarters (Akpet) is one of the places to situate a new city. I was also able to lead the development of an innovative infrastructure financing model which saw the State partnering with the Nigerian Army Post Service Housing LTD developing the Ayade Mega, Tinapa. In the arragement, the State provided 130 hectares of Land as her equity contribution while the Nigerian Army provided N13.5 billion.
17. In addition to that, I was also able to mobilise international funding for Calas Vegas, Obudu Mega City and other new cities for Government. The first tranche of this fund to the State is due in October 2018 and I ensured that I got the State to issue a guarantee to back up the funds.
18. Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, If given the opportunity I will bring to bear the knowledge and experiences I have gathered over the years in ensuring that Biase gets an excellent representation. I will use my contacts/networks to attract both national and international development projects to the state.
19. To also drive home some of my policies and programmes, I will mobilise for resources from International Developments and NGOs for construction of new and renovation of existing health centers, Schools, vocational centers, etc. I will also ensure I make appropriate laws that will protect women and the less privileged. I will support laws addressing poverty and check child labour and molestation of minors in the State.
20. I will deviate from the norm to ensure that my constituency is not just a monument but an avenue for interaction between me and my electorates on continuous basis for improved governance. This is because as rightly opined by Ramez Naam, “We have seen over time that countries that have best economic growth are those that have good governance, and good governance comes from freedom of communication”. This, we will achieve if given the mandate.
21. In view of the foregoing considerations I, Oyube David Attoe, the former Executive Secretary of the New City Development Board of Cross River State, hereby declare and offer myself for the onerous task of running for the Member of Cross River State House of Assembly under the platform of our great and indestructible Party, the PDP during the 2019 General Elections.
22. As a peace loving member of this great party, I pledge to deploy my energy to make sure that everybody is accommodated if elected as the flagbearer of the PDP and eventually the member representing this great constituency in the State House of Assembly.
23. I want to assure everyone that PDP belongs to all of us and not to any particular individual or group of persons. Having said this, let us then begin to work together as one body and support the current leadership of the party to bring back PDP to its past glory.
24. I also wish to state at this juncture that the success of this great constituency depends upon the strength of our resolve to bond together, and that way, we can overcome the perils and ruins of the present, to achieve the great dreams of our desired future.
25. I make bold to unequivocally state here today that the hope of every ordinary and despondent Biaseites is anchored on the PDP. Let me therefore assure you, that under my representation everyone/group will be given a voice as people will have the opportunity to suggest what they want and also contribute effectively in the governance process.
26. Let me end by this great quote from Benigno Aquino III, who said and I quote “With Proper Governance, Life will improve for All”. On this note, I humbly solicit for your support to ensure that victory is ours in the coming Party Primary selections and the 2019 General Elections for the collective good of all Biaseites, Cross River and Nigeria in general.
Long live PDP
Long live Biase Constituency
Long Live Cross River State
Long live Nigeria
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