A nongovernmental organization, Kogi West Agenda, has called on Governor Yahaya Bello to support the desire of stakeholders and citizens of the western axis of the state to produce the next governor.
The group, at a press conference held in Lokoja on Thursday, said the clamour is anchored on fairness, equity and justice.
In his speech, Chairman of the group, Mahmud Inuwa Muhammed, said the people of Kogi West senatorial district hope that the ‘EBIGO’ principle of the new direction administration will come to play in the 2023 governorship election in the state.
Mahmud called on leaders and stakeholders from the central and eastern senatorial districts of the state to support the Kogi West Agenda in the noble cause to foster unity in the North Central state.
“Kogi West Agenda is the mouthpiece of the seven local government areas of the western senatorial district. We represent the interest and aspirations of the people of Kogi West senatorial district spanning three federal constituencies, eighty-five electoral wards and over eight hundred polling units.
“It is a fact that since the inception of democratic rule in 1999, Kogi West has not produced the Governor of the state. Kogi East had it for eight years and Kogi Central is currently occupying the governorship seat and will be there for eight years.
“Kogi West has been in the forefront of stabilizing the polity of the state and full of potentials capable of managing the abundant opportunities available in the state.
“Recall that before the 2019 election when the Okun people of Kogi West paid a courtesy visit to Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello demanding for Kogi West to produce the next governor come 2023, interestingly the then Chief of Staff, now Deputy Governor Edward Onoja who represented the Governor, said the result of 2019 governorship election will determine the zone that will produce the next Governor in 2023. At the end of the 2019 election, the result showed clearly that Kogi West voted overwhelmingly for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The mutual adoption of power rotation in our dear confluence state under the watch of our amiable, focused and pragmatic Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello will be unique, outstanding, novel and thus a positive re-enactment of the political history and evolution of the state. Governor Bello’s name shall be boldly written in gold,” he said.
The group declared its determined support for nationwide clarion call on Governor Yahaya Bello to run for the presidency of the federal republic of Nigeria in 2023.
“We join other numerous interest groups to endorse the aspiration of our own, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello for President in 2023.
“We are especially happy with the successes so far recorded by our political office holders at federal, state and local government levels in terms of youth employment, empowerment and developmental constituency projects across Kogi West senatorial district.
“We use this medium to solicit the support of all and sundry in the state and the nation at large for the realization of this patriotic and progressive move to foster unity in Kogi state.’
