He explained that the state had a population of about six million to seven million people, which required the responsive government to deliver dividends of democracy within the limits of available resources. According to the governor, in just 10 months, 267 kilometres of roads had been awarded and guaranteed to last for 20 years, with 35% of these roads near completion.
Soludo clarified the accusation of heavy taxes and fewer special advisers, stating that his administration had decided to fill the manpower gap identified in some critical sectors, including education and health, and address the insecurity challenges. He said he was evolving a progressive tax regime where the poor would no longer fund the rich while expanding the tax base to shore up the state's revenue profile.
Soludo expressed optimism that people of the state would vote for All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidates in the upcoming House of Assembly elections, assuring them of his continued support. He said the question for an APGA-dominated House of Assembly was not to create a rubber-stamp legislature but to sustain the current robust executive-legislature relationship for seamless development.
The governor called for a peaceful March 18 House of Assembly election, urging the electorate to come out en masse to exercise their civic rights.