Kogi governorship hots up as Audu, Ohiare vow to sustain Bello legacies

…. Lyon demands first right of refusal in Bayelsa

Obiora Ifoh, Abuja

Son of the former governor of Kogi state, Prince Shuabu Abubakar Audu has declared his intention to govern the state while also vowing to deliver the mandate of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his vice presidential candidate Kashim Shettima at the February 25 election.

The aspirant who addressed the press after obtaining the APC nomination form for the governorship election also said he will continue with the good works Governor Yahaya Bello is currently doing in Kogi state.

According to him, “We’re here for three major reasons, one is to continue to work hard to deliver the mandate of our leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his vice presidential candidate Kashim Shettima at the February 25 election.

“We’re here to continue to express our support for his mandate, we’re here to express our support for i believe that he can turn around the economy of Nigeria fundamentally. And he will be able to carry on the baton of the work that President Muhammadu Buhari has done over the last eight years.

“The second reason why we’re here today is to also mention that the reason why I purchased the governorship form is to build on the legacy of the current executive governor of Kogi state governor Yahaya Bello particularly in the areas of infrastructure development, as well as security, he has done a very good job in those two areas. And I want to present myself to the people of Kogi state that I can carry on the mantle, and take the development of Kogi state to a new level.

“Thirdly and very, very importantly, is also to honor the legacy of our great father. Great politic icon, Prince Abubakar Audu of blessed memory. He was the leader of APC in Kogi state who founded the party and brought it to Kogi state and we want to do him justice. We will honor his memory by setting a seven point agenda for Kogi state, which is what I plan to implement for the people of Kogi state.

“Number one on the agenda is job creation, economy, number one is we plan to create millions of direct and indirect jobs for the people of Kogi state to be able to put food on the table and to be able to fend for their families.

“The level of poverty and the level of suffering in Kogi state is enormous. We would like to change that and fundamentally transform the situation of ordinary citizens of Kogi state, which is our first point agenda.

“The second thing that we would like to carry out in our second point agenda is security, w will focus on the security situation in Kogi state to ensure that we’re able to provide safety, people can go about their daily livelihoods and their daily business in a safe environment.

“Thirdly, I’m very, very importantly is infrastructure development, within my first 100 days of being elected Governor of Kogi state, I will set up a $1 billion infrastructure fund to be able to fundamentally build on the decayed infrastructure situation in Kogi state.

“We will focus on building roads we will focus on building lights, we will focus on building electricity, we will focus on bringing water and I think that if there’s anybody that can do it, I can do it because I’ve used my personnel resources using my foundation to provide Sukkot to the people of Kogi state, whether it’s through boreholes through building of schools through providing relief materials from my own personal resources.

Similarly, the immediate past Executive Director of Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Sanusi Ohiare, has said his mission is to sustain and build on the legacies achieved by the incumbent Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, whom he said has achieved a lot of meaningful development in the history of Kogi.

During his formal declaration of intention to contest the Kogi guber, Ohiare, who resigned his position to contest the governorship election, said given his age, experience and exposure, he is most qualified to succeed Governor Bello.

“Kogi has made tremendous progress under the dexterous leadership of H.E. Yahaya Adoza Bello, who became governor of Kogi at the age of 40, and widely opened the doors for youth and women emancipation in politics and governance over the last 7 years.

“Under Alhaji Yahaya Bello, Kogi state has inched closer to a more perfect union, given the prevalence of ethnic divides before he assumed office in 2016; which is evidenced in the current dimension of the Kogi race for governorship, where voters are no longer considering your ethnicity or religion, but researching on your person, character, antecedents and capacity to deliver.

“Kogi has also witnessed relative peace, stability and massive infrastructural development in the areas of Education, Health, Roads, Bridges and Power, to mention a few, under our amiable leader, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

“Therefore, the challenge before us is how to sustain and build on the great works of his Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, and who’s best equipped to succeed him”, he said.

Meanwhile the former Governor elect of Bayelsa State, David Lyon has asked the National Working Committee (NWC) of All Progressive Congress (APC) to grant him the right of first refusal on the State governorship primaries coming up soon in the State.

Speaking to journàlists at the party Secretariat yesterday after submitting his nomination and expression of interest forms, Lyon said “Allow me to request our great party APC to grant me the right of first refusal regarding our party primaries date as outlined by the national headquarters”.

He also called on all Nigerians and well-meaning Bayelsans to come out in mass and vote for the APC candidates across the board, especially the presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he said his track records in human capacity development is equal to non contesting for the office of the President.

“With profound gratitude and great humility, I just submitted my nomination and intent form to contest the primaries for the governorship election of Bayelsa state under the platform of our great party All progressives Congress (APC).

“I want to use this medium to thank especially the state and National executives of our party that gave me the privilege to be the party candidate in the 2019 governorship elections, which I won but God knows the best I wasn’t sworn in as Governor. In the same light I want to thank the good people of Bayelsa state who voted massively for me in that election also.

“Equally, I want to appreciate everybody that has traveled far and wide to join me in this historic moment”, he said