African Action Congress governorship candidate in the forthcoming Edo State governorship election, Udoh Oberaifo, has declared that his party is an alternative that can rescue Edo State from the political, social and economic quagmire it has found itself.

Speaking shortly after he officially unveiled his deputy, Lord Osunde, who was a pioneer of the Obidient Movement in Edo, Oberaifo said the era of the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress brought limited development to the state.

He said the PDP and the APC have not been able to tackle the high poverty rate caused by bad economic policies, decayed infrastructure and insecurity in the state, which has made the AAC a party that can bring succour to the people of Edo State.

He said, “With the movement of our deputy governorship candidate, Lord Osunde, who before his defection to the party was a staunch member and leader of the Labour Party and Obidient Movement in the state to our party, it tells you that the people want an alternative to APC and PDP.

“Osunde was a pioneer member who organized the first two million Obidient movement walk in the state and the structures across the three senatorial districts in the state. It is good that he has found it important to join our party.”

Insisting that if elected, “we will stand for true leadership, a new perspective, vibrancy and innovation,” he added, “The keyword of my agenda is humanity first. People must be considered before politics, before power-mongering, godfatherism and personal gains. If you put people first in all you are doing, that means you will get it right.”

Oberaifo said he planned to develop the state by creating an enabling environment for Small and Medium Enterprises to thrive.’’

He stated, “I will want to empower small businesses based on my working experience with Mastercard Foundation as a consultant. The foundation transformed Nigerian youths as it revamped over 40,000 small businesses in Nigeria.

“The only way governments can solve the problems of unemployment and control fiscal policy is to empower SMEs. When they do that, that is where they will be able to address and reduce all this whole problems of dollars and others.

“When SMEs are empowered and are doing well, they will in turn create jobs, thereby reducing unemployment.”