Police Affairs Minister joins Ekiti governorship race

The Minister of Police Affairs , Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd), on Friday declared  his intention to contest for governorship election in Ekiti State, in 2014 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Olubolade, who made his intention known while addressing newsmen in Ipoti in Ijero local government area of the state on Friday, said he was joining the race to bring transformation and development, which he said was in tandem with that of the Federal Government headed by President Goodluck Jonathan.

He recount  his experience spanning being military governor of Bayelsa State as well as having served as a minister three times in the Federal Government, Olubolade said.

“Ekiti is predominantly agrarian. We still have peasant farmers all over the place struggling to feed themselves. But most annoying is the way the government has been borrowing  to finance projects. Under me, Ekiti will stay within its income and bring progress to the people. We are determined to bring rapid transformation to Ekiti so that Ekiti can catch up with other states.”

According to him, the  level of the state’s indebtedness is worrisome and is “constituting a menace to the growth of the state and crippling the economy.”

Reacting to the agitation of members of the party that a candidate should come from the southern senatorial district of the state, Olubolade said what should concern the party, the PDP, is that the state should concern itself with how to regain power from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

He said “We all  have the rights to contest  under democracy. My party has interest to win the 2014 election. So, whether you are from the North, South or Central, we are all members of the PDP. The three zones will have to sit to produce a consensus candidate . All these agitations are internal matter and  they  will be handled by the party top hierarchy.”