The State Party Chairman
Zonal Chairmen,
Local Government Party Chairmen
Party Executive members
Party Leaders/Elders/Stake holders
The Campaign Director General
Zonal/ Local Government Coordinators
Women Leaders/Youth Leaders
Party Members and Supporters
Friends and Associates
Gentlemen of the Press
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
It is with immense gratitude to God Almighty, that I address you today on a very special and historic occasion of my formal declaration of intent to contest the Kogi 2019 Gubernatorial Election on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
I am indeed overwhelmed by the presence of this large crowd of well-wishers, friends, associates and most importantly, supporters and leaders of our Party, the All Progressive’s Congress (APC) from all over kogi State andacross the country on this occasion.
Today’s occasion is important because itsymbolizes the collective struggle to bring about a more focused, purposeful, people oriented leadership and direction to our great state. This is another bold step since the consummation of my resolve to dedicate and offer myself to the service of our people on a rescue mission.
Let me quickly recognize and express my profound gratitude to the generality of our people, groups, associations, communities, friends and associates too numerous to mention and more importantly members of our great Party, the All Progressive’s Congress (APC)who have continued to prevail on me to join the Governorship race on a rescue mission. I salute your resolve, sacrifice and patriotism.
Permit me to note, there comes a moment of historic decision making in a life of a people when men of vision, mission and courage are propelled by the challenging situation of their society to offer and volunteer themselves to serve their people, for us in Kogi State, this is the moment.
You called on me to serve and in response I have obtained the expression of Intent and Declaration Forms and today; I am standing before you to formally declare my intention to contest the Kogi 2019 Governorship Election.
May I use this medium to thank Party Members, Friends, Associates, Groups and Supporters, who accompanied me to pick my nomination forms on Monday 15th July, 2019.
It was indeed an unprecedented mammoth crowd. May I specially thank you all, and it is my prayer that your labour of love, support and solidarity will not be in vain.
Now the real challenge begins, I will need your support every step of the way. Together by the grace of the Almighty God and with your support, we will secure our Party’s nomination and move on to win the Gubernatorial Election. But now, as we enter the crucial stage of ourParty’s nomination process, it’s time to redouble our efforts and commitment towards our goal.
Distinguish Ladies and Gentlemen, permit me to note that, the ascent of any society to the pinnacle of development is often determined by the vision of its Leaders and their commitmentto the actualization of identified goals and objectives.
The collective aspiration of the people of Kogistate for sustainable development predates the creation of the State. Indeed, the advocacy for the creation of Kogi state by the contemporary constituents of the geo-polity was predicated principally on the collective aspiration of the people of the former Kabba Province for rapid development, having savored several decades of phenomenal criminal neglect, orchestrated underdevelopment, epochal subjugation and despicable backwardness while they merely existed like legal aliens in the primordial Kwara and Benue states for several decades with little or nothing to show for those years of bondage. The people of the former KabbaProvince-Kogi state were therefore unanimous in their agitation for a change of history.
The creation of Kogi State on August 27th, 1991 was therefore hope restored for the people of an area that is so limitlessly endowed with abundant human and natural resources but by irony of historical and political development were grouped into geo-political entities where their interest and destiny were unjustly subjugated for a long time.
May I at this point acknowledge that, the emergence of our late leader and Governor of all times, His Excellency, Prince AbubakarAudu as first and second democratically elected Governor was a providential act that brought into the saddle of leadership, a man propelled by deep innate desire to make historic contributions to the upliftment of the wellbeing of his people and to rewrite their history. That was the period of our second rise to fame and fortune in history, then our rapid decline and degeneration occasioned by inept leadership of successful administrations.
Late Prince Abubakar Audu worked hard to build a modern Kogi state and continued in the struggle to rescue our people, he died tragically and dramatically in the process. May we observe a minute silence in honour of the departed. May his soul rest in peace-Amen!
Today, Kogi state is an APC state consequent upon his efforts and struggle together with the entire Audu-Faleke Political structure with the support and collaboration of Leaders of the All Progressive Congress at the national, state and Local Government level including members and supporters of our great Party and the good people of Kogi state.
May I also acknowledge one man of enormous goodwill who in partnership with our great leader led the struggles to enthrone the All Progressive’s Congress in Kogi State in that historic and unfortunate Election: the running mate to late Prince Abubakar Audu in the Audu/Faleke Ticket of November 2019, Hon. Chief James Abiodun Faleke. For others too numerous to mention, I acknowledge you all for your roles.
THE RESCUE MISSION
Why I have decided to Offer Myself to Serve
Today, our state stands at a cross road, there are several challenges drawing the state back from realizing its potentials. Confronting and surmounting these challenges should be the reason why anyone should seek the office of the Governor of Kogi state at this crucial moment.
Kogi state remain the most economically viable state in Nigeria, blessed with abundant human and natural resources where conditions, and great potentials exist for spectacular economic growth and human development. It is therefore distressing that we have not succeeded in harnessing our enormous potentials for the prosperity and the wellbeing of our people, to the extent that we are now in grave danger a failed State.
The alarming youth unemployment; worsening poverty, massive decay in our infrastructures and the increasing loss of faith by the citizensin the ability of government to meet its obligations to the governed are signals offailure of leadership.
As you may be aware, Kogi state is facing very serious challenges at the moment and times likethis demand the vision and intervention of men who have the experience, the courage and the political will to be different, men who see challenges and who are prepared to confront them.
At the moment and over the last few years, our state has degenerated rapidly, leadership has failed, development has come to stand still, infrastructures and basic social service havebroken down while government has failed in itsobligations to the governed.
Salaries and allowances, pensions and gratuities remain unpaid and sometimes paid in pitiable percentages of ten (10%) twenty (20%) and twenty five (25%) and in arrears of six to over thirty months in some cases, yet bailout, the highest in Nigeria was collected by our state while over forty percent (40%) of the workforce were laid-off across board, from state to local government in a staff verification exercise that lasted for over three years and still ongoing. Even pensioners were not spared. Our people have been impoverished and are dying daily while Civil Servants have become beggars due to prolonged non payment of salaries and allowances.
As I speak, Local Governments are protesting across the state, not even for their arrears of several months but for the release of recent allocations which have been received but withheld.
This disturbing state of our economy and state of affairs is a pointer to the fact that our state is on a dark lane. Kogi state is under siege, held hostage and is on a life support.
The poverty index in our State in spite of our abundance human and natural resources which places us as the most economical viable state in Nigeria entitles us to a higher level of prosperity than what currently obtains.
Gentlemen of the Press, the Political, Social and the Economic situation of the people of Kogi state has dwindled and worsened in the last few years. Kogi state needs a new story, a better story, things cannot continue like this, enough is enough! We must alter this negative narrative for the better.
To pull Kogi state from the brink, calls for experienced, visionary, purposeful, competent and inspiring leadership. I am certain that the current negative indicators are not our destiny and I have always maintained that in the midst of this depressing signals of leadership failure, there is always hope for a new beginning under a competent, purposeful and focused leadershipwhich I intend to provide.
Gentlemen of the Press, this is part of the challenge which propels my decision to contest the Kogi 2019 Governorship Election on the Platform of the All Progressive’s Congress (APC) hence on a rescue mission, so that Kogistate can fulfil it’s destiny in contemporary Nigeria.
Consequently, the philosophy of leadership under my administration shall be re-evaluated in such a way to guarantee the promotion of individual prosperity, the well-being of our people and development of the state. This philosophy shall be such that will greatly enhance the ability of leadership to fulfill it’sfundamental obligations to the governed.
My leadership style shall be all inclusive, characterized by consensus building and popular participation based on the fundamental principles of transparency, accountability, equity, fairness and justice anchored on the overall interest of the people and the promotion of prosperity for all.
Kogi state at the moment needs a Governor with a sense of urgency, competent, visionary and decisive,who has the experience of our past and is in tune with the realities and dynamism of the moment to quickly rescue and rebuild the state from the ravages of mal-administration and to redesign the structure of our tomorrow from the debris of the moment and to position the state on the part of sustainable growth and development.
Permit me to note that, This “carry go” thing or the display of“4 + 4” in the face of monumental failure and historic award winning non-performance despite unprecedented huge resources is absolute madness that cannot work, while the current political intimidation, hooliganism and gangsterism being visited on the impoverished people of Kogi state by those who have stumbled on money from the common wealth of the people cannot guarantee anyone a re-election.
Our Local Government Areas which were created as agents of grassroots development has become agents of frustration at that levelhaving failed completely to meet thereobligations. At the moment, their condition is not only disturbing but very pathetic. Local Government workers have lost count of how much they are being owed with several percentages outstanding. I sympathize with our Local Government Workers and I share in your pains.
Teachers are not better as pensioners are worst hit without gratuities. The State Civil Service has been bastardized and traumatized as workers have been turned to beggar’s due to non-payments of salaries and allowances, our people are dying daily due to poverty and frustration. The political, economic and social situation of the people has dwindled and worsened over the years. Kogi state must now rise to actualize the tremendous expectations which our enormous human and natural resources evoke.
My Administration if elected will outlaw and criminalize percentage payment of salaries,because a laborer ordinarily is entitled to his wages.It is only in Kogi state that payment of salaries and allowances has become an achievement we cannot continue to inflict unnecessary pain on our people and subject them to untold and avoidable difficulties.
I am certain that this negative indication is not our destiny. I have always maintained that in the midst of depressing signals and crisis, there is always hope for a new beginning. Above all, I am convinced that we have the ability to rise to the demand of rapid development and positive change under a competent, visionary and purposeful leadership.
It is consequent upon this fluctuating trend of development, inept leadership and disturbing state of our economy which is a pointer to the fact that our state is on a dark lane at the moment and faced with numerous challenges that severe pressure from within and outside the state, and from members of our Party in particular has been brought to bear on me to rise up to the task that providence has bestowed on our generation, to step into leadership of our state on a rescue mission, to restore and reposition our state, to quickly re-design the structure of our tomorrow from the debris of the moment and to institute a new concept of governance, a new agenda of sustainable economic and human development in the interest of our people.
We know, we understand, and we share the frustrations of our people, the unemployment, the poverty, and the very bad roads even in our state capital, our economy is on the decline, our major roads are in a state of disrepair. On all sides, there is disappointment, failure and inadequacy. Education which is our investment in the future of the state is on the decline, our infrastructure is in terrible state of decay. With all sense of modesty, the present administration in the state has failed to deliver the dividend of democracy and those who were part of this failure, who were given opportunity and had good enough resources to add value to our landscape and to improve the living conditions of our people but failed to deliver must not be allowed to return as it is very dangerous to re-enforce failure while we cannot continue to play politics with the destiny, welfare and wellbeing of our people.
On our part, we must look beyond this monumental failure of the moment, God has endowed this state with immense potentials and with commitment to a purposeful and people oriented leadership, we can bring about the future which our people deserve.
Our vision and action agenda for development is anchored on a seven point programme of action. The central principles are clear, for us, this constitute our priorities, our commitment and the foundation of our development agenda.
i. Employment generation / Agriculture
ii. Security
iii. Energy and infrastructural development
iiii. Education and Social services
v. Rural development and industrialization
vi. Economic development and Poverty reduction
vii. Youth and Women empowerment
Distinguished leaders, Kogi state remain one of the most resourceful states in Nigeria for us as a people, they is a need to seek to understand why we have remain so poor in the midst of vast human and natural resources. It has become absolutely necessary to analyze the political economy of our poverty and underdevelopment, so that we can set in motion a process and devise strategies for rapid socio-economic transformation of our society. The paradox of our existence here is that, we are in lack and want in an environment that is so limitlessly endowed. I believe and I want to call on our people to see this high endowment as a challenge to our resourcefulness as a people.
My beloved people of Kogi state, my decision to run for the Governorship of Kogi state on the platform of the All Progressive’s Congress (APC) is in keeping with your aspirations to lift the state in general from neglect, poverty and underdevelopment.
OUR MISSION
“My mission is to rapidly transform Kogi State through massive development of the physical and social infrastructure and a robust agro and industrial development agenda that will ensure economic prosperity for all”
We intend to achieve this through a well-articulated programme of action that will include ideas, suggestions and contributions from the good people of Kogi State and our development partners
OUR VISION
“To restore the lost glory of Kogi State and to build on the gains of the years with vigour and determination to reposition Kogi State – a leading state in Nigeria”
I can see a new emerging Kogi State, an egalitarian society of equal privileges, rights and opportunities were every group will feel a sense of belonging and ownership.
THE TASK AHEAD
I do not need a fortune teller to know that the task attendant to the position of a Governor for which I seek your mandate is enormous. I am mindful of hopes lost and failed expectations over the years, I fully appreciate this reality and I am sufficiently disposed to confront the challenges headlong.
In the enormous task, the expectations of our people is also very high, under this circumstances, nobody will give us a prize for maintaining the status-quo-ante because the narratives of Kogi State must change and there must be improvement in the quality of leadership aimed at attracting development to our land.
On my part, I will strive to break new grounds and rise to provide a new concept of leadership to restore hopes and meet the high expectations of our people.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, it is time to approach governance from a developmental, visionary and problem-solving perspective. Now, we are in an era of practical solution, things cannot continue to go on like this, enough is enough!
Our people are tired of rhetoric’s and un-ending promises, now more than ever, public office holders need to be creative in the management of public funds. They must identify and tap into opportunities that have hither-to not been explored and expand possibilities. The increasing rate of joblessness in our state must be curbed and very fast because our state is already building an army of unemployed youths.
We have a historic challenge to rescue and re-build our state, a new state where our future and the future of our children is guaranteed.The time has come for us to break out of development inertia which has engulfed our beloved state over the years. It is time to conceptualize a better future towards which we can channel our individual and collective energy with hope and enthusiasm.
It seems to me as if everybody has been waiting for me, yesterday would have been too early, tomorrow will be too late, I have come at the right moment said Napoleon Bonaparte. Kogi State is experiencing difficult times reminiscent of the French experience on the eve of that famous revolution.
Times like this demand the vision and intervention of men who have the experience, the political sagacity to be different, men who see challenges where others see problems because whether we move forward or standstill,and even the pace at which we choose to move forward will be determined by the quality of men we give our mandate to lead us because leadership, competent, inspiring visionary leadership is crucial to our yearnings for development.
My leadership if given the opportunity willrestore hope at this critical moment of our political history.
May I also with utmost humility and all sense of decorum appeal to our leaders not to allow anybody to manipulate the process and attempt to set a new fraudulent agenda to rail-road himself to power using money meant for worker salaries and development of the state to sponsor pseudo governorship aspirants from the rank of appointees, aids and political jobbers all in a bid to cause confusion and manipulate the process, to foist on the party and the people and unpopular agenda to serve his personal and selfish interest. The All Progressive’s Congress is too sophisticated and advanced for this kind of cheap manipulation.
Distinguished supporters, permit me to note that sovereignty resides with the people, that was why Mr. President subjected himself to Direct Primary while seeking nomination for his re-election. The All Progressive’s Congress (APC) in lagos State adopted Direct Primary, in Bayelsa State, Direct Primary has just been adopted. Is Kogi State in a different country? The Direct Primary process is the new standardof nomination.
Nobody should therefore be allowed to take a short cut through the back door to manipulate the process to rail-road himself to power against the popular wishes of the people.
Fellow Kogites, Kogi state has encountered its darkest moment in our political history; it underscores the Shakespearean truism, that the darkest part of the night also heralds the break of a new dawn.
I am here to serve on a rescue mission; join meto rescue our beloved state and our people from the ravages of mal-administration and inept leadership.
May I formally declare my intention to contest the Kogi State 2019 Gubernatorial Election on the platform of the All Progressive’s Congress (APC) and while I solicit your support.
God bless you all.
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