By MBACHU GODWIN, Abuja
Social Democratic Party, SDP, Chairmanship candidate for the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, election scheduled for February 21, 2026, Hon. Obina Simon has said that , he is in the race to transform the Municipal Area Council and address infrastructural decay that was neglected by the current and previous administrations.
Speaking to Journalists at the weekend in his campaign office in Abuja , Hon. Obina who said he possess the right credentials to govern, AMAC , noted that his party, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, is the alternative platform with the right vision to rescue the area council from what he described as the ineptitude and insensitive All Progressives Congress, APC, led government.
He noted that the passion and Commitment to serve humanity and the people of AMAC was the propelling force to join the race, adding that he has a vision to put AMAC on the global economic map.
The Social Democratic Party , SDP candidate who predicted victory for his party at the forthcoming election, said AMAC residents and Nigerians were tired of the failures and harsh economic policies of the APC led government, which according to him has left many families hungry.
He promised to end multiple taxations in the area council which he noted has become a Condit pipe for exploiting AMAC residents
“There are many people in AMAC harassing innocent residents and motorist of all manner of illegal taxation, this has to stop and addressed”
Hon. Obina who decried the dilapidated Condition of primary and secondary education and health care facilities as well as the sanitary environment of the area council disclosed that he will prioritize the welfare ,health and security of AMAC residents, adding that he will build more schools, primary health centers and provide sophisticated security equipments.to the security operatives to protect lives and properties.
He further disclosed that he will boost the Internal generated revenue of the council as well as run a government of inclusiveness by bringing the indigenes and non-indigenes together as one Nigeria.
He said “What we realized that is happening in AMAC concerning revenue, is some portion of the revenue is used to compensate politicians. I don’t have problem with that, they should be a tentative arrangement with the government It has to be just , for instance 70/ 30% . It doesn’t make sense,We will work with consultants because we are creating job . A consultant must declare what he has collected ,you cannot come and tell us what you collected and we agree , no, and it must go digital , we will find out what was collected. I can be in my office and you h the screen and see what you have collected,We will digitalize it to checkmate corruption. Anything collected must go to the council account .it is we paying you not you paying us, you cannot come and say this what I collected no.
“For education, remember I told you I am a professional teacher, I have NCE, in education, by law I am certified to practice. I read education and I have thought for seven to eight years , Even on my declaration I stated that I am going to declare State of emergency on education, especially in AMAC, where students sit on the floor, for instance where the teacher teaching PHE and you scold the students that their uniform are dirty , when they are seating on the floor.if education fails under my watch it is a slap on me. There is a school where we went in Nyaya they converted that school to a toilet, does it show professionalism of the teachers and headmaster, for education I made it a point of call that public school will compete with private school.
“Agriculture is something I won’t play with, everybody cannot work with the government, there are women I met at Gwagwa they called them vegetable and Allied farmers, I promised them that we will expand their farming business, give them modern implement to mechanize and modernize their farming and contribute to the economy of AMAC”
Fielding question , if he has the capacity to dislodge the incumbent chairman and his party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, He criticized the incumbent chairman of AMAC, and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC , Hon. Christopher Maikalangu over his failures in office and why he should be rejected by the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, electorates at the poll, saying that the residents have lost confidence in the APC and their candidate.
He said, “This is an executive chairman who receives federal allocation every month and could not pay primary school teachers salary for months and told the whole world that , he has no capacity to provide patrol vehicles to the security operatives to protect lives and properties, when he was confronted by the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, such person has no moral grounds to seek re -election and should be voted out. The only challenge the APC has in this election is SDP , the electorates in AMAC has already rejected APC”.
Hon. Obina dismissed reports in certain quarters that he was exploiting religion and ethnicity to gain popularity in the forth Coming election . He explained that contrary to the propaganda by the fifth columnist and political opponents who are afraid of his rising popularity, his score card and credentials as an entrepreneur and philanthropist has endeared him to the grassroots.
