The Edo chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) says it will boycott the forthcoming September 21, 2024, governorship election in the state if candidates of various political parties’ manifestoes do not reflect plans and programmes for farmers in the state.
The State chairman of AFAN, Alhaji Bako Dogwo, made the remarks on Sunday in an interview with newsmen in Benin City. Dogwo also demanded that any political party that wins the election must appoint a commissioner for Agriculture from its fold.
According to him, “I want to say categorically that candidates of political parties contesting for the September 21, 2024, governorship election, who will not accommodate farmers or tell us what programmes they have for us in their manifesto, farmers in the state will not vote for such candidate.
“Their manifestoes must reflect what each candidate has in stock for farmers and programmes to better the agricultural sector in the state. Irrespective of your political party, you must come and tell us what programmes you have for farmers, because we are the engine room of the economy of the state and Nigeria at large.
“If you don’t have anything for farmers, we are not going to vote for you, and you must also demonstrate to us that if elected, this is what you are going to do.
“Also, the candidate must be ready to appoint one of us as commissioner for Agriculture in the state because you cannot appoint somebody who is a mechanic to be commissioner for health,” he said.
He, however, threatened that any political party candidate who failed to meet the association’s demands and eventually wins the election, the association would not work with such a governor.
He assured that any governorship candidate that is ready to work with and partner with the association, irrespective of the political party, the association would be ready to vote such a candidate into office and also work with the government to succeed.