* Unveils Dino as Party flag bearer
The Critical stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic party PDP has on Wednesday restated their Commitment to ensure that power is shifted to the west Senatorial District in the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Kogi state.
To this end, candidates on different political parties from the Eastern District and West zone of the state have been advised to step down for the candidate of PDP, senator Dino Melaye from the West ,for equity, fairness and justice in the distribution of power in the state.
This was the submission of critical stakeholders of PDP from the 21 local Government Councils of the state who converge on Lokoja , state capital, to unveil the candidate of the PDP , Senator Dino Melaye to the public.
The state Chairman of the PDP Engineer Sam Ohuotu while presenting the party flag to the standard bearer, Senator Dino Melaye, urged all those who participated in the primary election to show spirit of sportsmanship and join hands with the party to cruise home victory at the forthcoming governorship election.
The chairman noted that once again, the November 11, 2023; governorship election will present an opportunity for the Party to free the state from the clutches of poverty, underdevelopment and misery that pervades the entire fabric of the state in the last eight years of the APC administration in the state.
He called on the members to extricate themselves from the zonal agendas and to embrace Kogi agenda to enthrone the principle of seamless power rotation among the three senatorial Districts of the state, adding that the party has resolved to install power shift in the politics of the state .
In a remark, the former Governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris commended the aspirants for their maturity in the just concluded party primary and enjoined the aggrieved to put it behind them and work for the success of the party in the general election.
He said , contrary to insinuations that he will leave the PDP , he insisted that he will continue to remain in the PDP as long as the party lives and enjoined others to be steadfast with the party to win the forthcoming governorship election which is crucial to the people of the state.
He lamented at the depreciating standard of living of the citizenry which was forced down on the people by the APC administration as no sane person would want to roll it over with the next administration, saying a vote for the PDP is an antidote to the misery and deprivation.
In a remark, the candidate of the party , Senator Dino Melaye commended the party and aspirants for the show of sportsmanship in the primary election, liking the contest to a football match where players do hard tackles and at the end of the match embrace each other, urging all those who constested with him to join forces with him for a rescue mission by the PDP
He said with over 58 mineral resources embedded inside the Kogi soil, the state has no reason to be poor as he will in his hundred days in office announce Kogi as a members of rich states in the country.
According to him ” Kogi state is too rich to be poor. what we are getting from the present Administration is a fall out of ineptitude and lack of understanding of modern principles of governance. I have stopped blaming Governor Bello for gross incompetence and state of Kogi. It is a popular saying that you can’t give what you don’t have. The Governor is performing within his capabilities.
” We have 58 mineral resources in our dear state and unfortunately only limestone is being tapped. Experts have carried out a study on gymsum , Uranium which are abundant in the state and assumed to be of high money spinners. They are lying fallow. We have Gold ,Coal, Crude oil waiting for exploration.
” Tourism is another area that the state has potential for greatness. We can promote various cultural festivals that abound across the state. We will put tourism in the international arena that will attract direct foreign investment into the state.
” We will invest heavily in education, as primary and secondary schools would receive our attention. We will establish three nursery schools in each zone of the state. Our tertiary institutions would be of international standards that will attract international students that will pay tuition in dollars.
We have world renowned professors across the globe. I’m aware that the first professors of Robotic Engineering and Artificial intelligence are from Kogi . We will attract them home to run the courses in our state Universities. These are good sources of revenue for the state rather than taxing the poor.
” In our master plan that will soon be unveiled , we will encompass a Boat club that will run from Nataco end to Ganaja in Lokoja for cruise. We will extend it to Onitsha into the lagoon, which will generate huge foreign currency.
” Today idea is what rule the world . Look at Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore, Rwanda, were being transformed from poor to rich nations through focus leadership . Kogi is a gateway to 12 states, which has placed us in better economic advantage as we are going to explore our nearness to Abuja. We will think outside the box as we will have no cause to depend on monthly allocation . The monthly allocation will only be used to pay salaries, wages , pensions and gratuity. We will ensure Ajaokuta steel and Itakpe iron ore are back on stream. We will exploit Search Funds littered across the advanced countries to enable us achieve our development agenda for the state” He promised
While promising not to be a tribal and religious governor, said , his pact with the people of the state , is Kogi agenda where every citizen will develop his God give potential to the fullest which will will stamp out poverty and squalor that state the people in the face.
In their separate speeches, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, leader of the west, Abdulraham Badamasuiy of the central Zone and Captain Joe Agada of the Eastern zone have pledged loyalty of their areas to the delivery of the PDP in the governorship election.
They pledged to ensure that the elusive power rotation that had torn the state apart would be realised and task voters to vote for the PDP to prevent the third term agenda of the APC .
