CANDIDATES of political parties contesting the November 18, Governorship Election in Anambra State will be screened by farmers on September 30, during inauguration of their cooperative society.

The farmers, who would gather to inaugurate their cooperative society, known as `Fagwod’ farmers multi-purpose cooperative society ltd., also noted that the group, would use the opportunity to identify credible candidate.

They claimed they wanted someone, who would have the interest of farmers at heart.

Speaking to journalists after their meeting at Dunukofia council area,Eberechris Agbakaizu, founder and international director-general of the group, said it was regrettable that farmers in Nigeria were being neglected by some leaders who did not care about agriculture.

“We shall no longer be indifferent during elections at all levels. We see farming as what will redeem this nation. We have interest in praying for anybody that will protect farmers’ interest; we want somebody who will have farmers at heart.

“We won’t pray to have someone who will come in and forget farmers and channel attention to other sectors.

“So, we are believing that farmers will come together to pray for a governor or president that will come in to assist farmers with financial as well as other agricultural inputs.’’

Agbakaizu adds: “we have plans to raise not less than two million farmers each, across the 36 states of the federation.

“In Anambra State for instance, we have plans to invite all the political parties and their candidates in the November 18, Governorship polls to attend our inauguration on Sept. 30, to tell us the plans they have for farmers.

“That will enable us to know who amongst them that has exactly the vision we have. Once the person is identified, we now begin to moblise our members to campaign for the person to win,” he said.

Agbakaizu also said “our group has not endorsed anybody because we don’t know for now who the Lord has said will lead us.

“What we are saying is that they will all be examined to tell us their plans for farmers in Anambra state.

“At that forum, we will listen to them and decide who has the same vision with us. If we don’t take farmers seriously, we will make a lot of mistakes because we are keen in supporting a governor that will assist us practically,” he emphasised.

Agbakaizu explained that Fagwod Cooperative Society had three arms that include Fagwod farmers association, fagwod crop producers, processing and marketing Nigeria ltd., and fagwod vision bearers.

“We are registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and hope to give loans to every fateful farmer from 2018.

“We are going to farm in the 774 Local Government Areas across the country and that is our vision.

“We are farming to produce farmers to assist those that can produce foods to feed the nation.

“Fagwod farmers association is for farmers; under this arm, all the committed farmers have a lot to benefit. Here we talk about practical farmers and not farmers that carry certificates about.

“We secured the nod of the Kaduna State Bank of Agriculture to grant us loans; we have signed Memorandum of Understanding with Chinese company for supply of inputs.

“Our aim in vision bearers arm is to support good governance, for instance; we are praying seriously to have a governor who will come in and ensure that farmers are assisted practically and not only by words of mouth,” he said.

– Sept 25, 2017 @ 17:49 GMT