Barely 16 days to the governorship election in Edo State, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Monday Okpebholo has challenged other candidates to compulsory drug tests.
According to reports, the APC candidate opined that the test was necessary to ascertain the candidates’ level of sanity.
A statement by Prince Kassim Afegbua, Director of Media, APC Governorship Campaign Council, called on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to subject the leading candidates to compulsory drug tests.
Afegbua said the NDLEA should zero in on all the frontline candidates of the major political parties.
He noted that the test would also enable Edo voters to be well-guided in making informed choices during the elections, to avoid voting for a candidate who would spend the state’s resources in funding drug and alcoholic lifestyles.
The statement read, “We have been reliably informed that some of the leading political parties candidates are alleged to be heavy consumers of banned substances including alcohol. A test for all of them will unveil their level of sanity.
“The compulsory test on the leading candidates will save Edo people of any future embarrassment that may arise. The voters can not be deceived again. Edo State is too decent to have a governor who will bring shame to the people.
“Anyone who wants to govern Edo State should not be a heavy consumer of marijuana. This is a banned substance, and we expect the NDLEA to verify and conduct tests on the major candidates.
“Our candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo is prepared to submit himself to any test any time he is called upon.
“We expect similar assurances from the other candidates to ascertain their level of sanity
“It will be a big shame for residents of other States to drag our people in the mud for mistakenly voting for a candidate whose state of mind can not be guaranteed. That is a big risk Edo people can not gamble with.
“We are doing this to save our state, and we hope that the NDLEA will quickly swing into action and do the needful.”
The APC candidate stated that the party would continue to mount pressure on NDLEA and other law enforcement agencies to come to the aid of Edo people and subject the candidates to compulsory drug tests as the governorship election approaches.
While pointing out that the people deserve to know who they are supporting, he added that they must unearth any candidate who pretends to be a saint during the day but a notorious gangster at night.
“With the insecurity, unemployment, decayed infrastructure, poor healthcare, lack of potable water, and failed education in Edo State, the people deserve a governor with a sane mind to lead us into prosperity,” he stressed.
