A frontline governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the governorship election in Edo State, Prince Clem Agba, has pledged to free traditional rulers from the excessive powers of the state government including the powers to dethrone or suspend them.
Agba, who made the pledge over the weekend during a consultative meeting with party loyalists, said a situation where a governor could dethrone or suspend a monarch was not healthy for the traditional institution in the state.
He maintained that if elected, he would sponsor the amendment of the provisions of the Traditional Rulers and Chieftaincy Law of 1979. through the State House of Assembly.
He observed that the present situation where a governor would be in confrontation with the revered traditional rulers was a dent on the valuable culture and tradition of the state.
Agba, who is the immediate past Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, intimated stakeholders of his intention to contest for nomination during the primary election of the APC.
He told his loyalists that he was in the race to change the narrative of poor infrastructure development in the state.
Agba recalled that as commissioner in the state during the administration of Senator Adams Oshiomhole, he was instrumental to the enactment of control measures of gully erosion in the area.
He said roads were also tarred during that period, lamenting that since then, nothing had happened. He lamented that rather than add more infrastructure to the existing ones, buildings were being demolished by the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
He disclosed that data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that the state inflationary rate stands at 26.6%, saying food shortage stands at 33.5%.
He said these were necessitated by poor road networks in rural areas, which makes the evacuation of farm produce near impossible with only about 40% getting to cities. According to the aspirant, he would not only build schools but also employ teachers, unlike the current situation of schools without teachers.
He said that if there were trained teachers in schools, pupils could compete with others at the international level.