Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Denise Idahosa, has said that Nigeria’s political space remain big enough for youths to get involved in politics.
Idahosa, a former commissioner in Edo and now, an aspirant for the Ovia Federal Constituency seat in the 2019 general election, stated this while fielding questions from journalists weekend in Benin City.
He stressed that the youths must participate in grassroots politics because they have to grow from bottom to the top.
The APC chieftain said to get it right, they (youths) must not quit, but remain consistent, even in the face of challenges.
Urging the older political class to act as good mentors to the youths by giving them the opportunity to excel in politics, he said: “It is all by His grace and the fact that I met someone who happened to be a great leader in the person of Adams Oshiomhole.
“He gave a lot of opportunity to most youths to excel in politics as a governor. This is the area where most politicians have failed. I was extremely fortunate.”
On his ambition for the 2019 elections, he said it became necessary as the present occupant of the Ovia Federal Constituency seat, who is from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has failed to impact on the lives of the people of the constituency.
According to him, “You will agree with me that there is presently a huge gap between the present occupant of the seat and the people of Ovia Federal Constituency.
“Not only has the occupant missed a lot of important deliberation as a result of her focus primarily on her personal business instead of the assignment of representing the people, she has also failed to attract developmental projects to the constituency.
“Though I respect her as a woman, but I believe she is incompetent. So, I am going to close this gap by being a vibrant and good representative to the people of Ovia.
“When God gives me the opportunity to serve, a whole lot of things will be done differently.â€
Speaking on the just concluded party congresses in Edo, Idahosa attributed the success to the unity, strong leadership and Oshiomhole’s constant strive to ensure cohension within the party in the state.
“I believe the difference came as a result of the fact that Oshiomhole had impacted confidence and unity among the party members in the state which we have all maintained, even after his tenure as the governor,†he stated.
He said it was on this basis and the fact that he has the capacity to bring the party together and restore sanity that the state would give 100 per cent support to Oshiomhole’s quest to become the national chairman.
“I served with the comrade governor as a commissioner, I know he is extremely smart, he is a man of unity, peace and with a great sense of carrying everybody along.
“I believe also that Oshiomhole has the capacity to bring the party together. As things are right now, the party, across the nation needs a lot of retooling; the party needs some vibrancy; it needs somebody to reignite that fire which saw the party winning the 2015 elections.
“Obviously, Oshiomhole stand tall is this regard; his experience as a former labour leader and also as a governor for eight years is needed to be harvested by the APC,†Idahosa said.
