An independent campaign organization, Kogi Deserves Better (KDB) has mapped out plans to engage, sensitize and mobilize voters across the state for the all-important November 11 gubernatorial election.
The group asserted that Kogi state cannot afford to elect an unmitigated disaster as Governor of the state in November, adding that the electorate will not gamble but make deliberate and well informed choice at the polls.
These were part of the resolutions reached at the KDB’s first online conference.
The confab analyzed strategies for identifying and vetting the most credible candidate they would be adopting and giving their support, in terms of structure, strategies and man power to ensure the victory of the most credible candidate.
Participants expressed concerns over recent development in the state’s political landscape where tribal and religious sentiments have further polarized the people and heated up the polity to the reversal of any harmonious gains that may have been achieved through the years.
One of the conference speakers, Dr Segun Ebitanmi, made an analytic presentation and part of the strategies proposed focused on the ‘Direct Digital Voter Acquisition Analysis and Assurance’ at the 3500 polling units in Kogi state.
Dr. Ebitanmi explained that 3500 PU managers would be positioned at the polling units who would deliver value based stewardship contracts to 200 electorate at each polling units and secure a minimum of 700,000 votes which would win the election by a landslide.
However, he stressed that in all of these, the most important factor still remains a viable and credible candidate who would bring all the strategies together. This also formed part of the discuss during the online conference.
In his lecture, Mr Nelson Ogohi stated that in order to arrive at a safe decision, the process should include criteria for adopting a credible candidate that would earn the support of the organization.
The criteria includes;
“Antecedents – What are his track records in administration, governance, business, and others. Philanthropy, charity deeds, projects handled community or otherwise, etc.
“Character – What kind of a person is s/he perceived as. Criminal records, violence, relationship, family, friends, honesty, accountability, etc.
“Competence – Ability to deliver. School and professional records. We don’t want another illiterate as governor. Has he led a big organisation before? How well did he do? Does he have the requisite leadership, management and organisational development skills?
“Capacity – Financial muscle to prosecute the election and beyond. Capacity to deliver on promises. Strategic Action Plans on how he or she intends to achieve.
“Appeal to Young People – Who would be his cabinet members? Will the youths and women be favourably represented?
“National and Global Appeal – How well is he known? Does s/he have a good national and international image?
“Manifesto/Agenda for Kogi – What is his policy thrust? What are his plans for various sector of the economy and industrial development of Kogi. We know Kogi’s wealth will come from industrialisation of our resources. Revenue generation will be a very critical factor to consider.
“Process of Emergence – The whole essence going into the primaries is to get who is best for the job among all contenders and because we at Kogi Deserves Better are keen on getting the best man for the job, we would analyze the process of emergence even though we know there is no political party primary that is utopian in nature we would look at the closest to it and the party resolutions afterwards.
“Equity – This is very fundamental because when all is said and done we believe that the people of the state and also the contenders should be treated uniquely with an outlook towards justice and fairness to compensate for different circumstances especially that which the state has gone through in it’s 32 years of existence and particularly in the last 24 years.
“Because all these parameters are relative to different people, KDB will subject all candidates to a vote on each of this metrics and will easily come out with a clear decision.”
KDB said its robust strategies will be carefully synergized and put into action with the certainty of taking the reins of Kogi state with the candidate who comes top in the process and gets the backing of the independent campaign organization.
The group stressed that it is prepared to mobilize and sensitize Kogites in deciding who becomes the next governor of the state.
