The President Obande Gideon-led National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has hailed the courageous step taken by youthful Comrade Sunday Bala Oma by joining the November Kogi governorship race.
The apex student body made this known when its high powered delegation paid a courtesy visit to Bala Oma in his Dekina country home at the weekend.
The high powered delegation was led by the National Director of Finance, Comrade Ibrahim Adejoh and four other officials.
According to Adejoh, “the visit to the youngest aspirant who falls within the United Nations youth bracket was to hail him for taking the unprecedented step by indicating interest to contest the governorship election, slated for 2nd November 2019.
“We are indeed happy to have one of our own, who fought for the course of student interest, while on campus and his impact is still being felt across the nation, through his philanthropic and entrepreneurial gestures, using his NGO- Sunday Bala Oma Foundation to advocate for good governance and qualitative education in Nigeria. We are optimistic, His Excellency will go far in the race.”
In his response, Comrade Bala Oma, who could not hide his joy at the unscheduled visit, thanked the NANS leadership for identifying with him in the struggle to liberate the Kogi state from bad governance and ensure the state is ranked amongst the top ten in education, security as well as human capital and infrastructural development, for the overall interest of Kogites.
“It pains me to see a state so blessed with numerous resources, still competes with less endowed states as the poverty state in the country. As a geologist, I personally mapped the mineral deposit across the three Senatorial districts, with particular focus to the huge limestone deposit within Kogi central where I did my Industrial Training with Obajana Cement plc- Dangote Group. My B.Sc Thesis titled; Geology and petrography studies of rocks around Fougerole-Fougerole Nigeria (FFN) Ajaokuta area, part of sheet 247 Lokoja South West, Kogi state; amongst several other economic viable mineral deposits that are yearning for exploitation and exploration,” he said.
He assured the students union body that if elected, there will be drastic unemployment rate reduction and will have a corresponding ripples effect on the IGR.
On issues of dilapidating educational system in the state, Comrade Oma assured them that within his first 100days in office, he will ensure all sacked lecturers are recalled and their renumeration payment would have commenced.
He also noted that as a beneficiary of the educational system, he will be the first to implement the 26% budget for education which is the UN resolution.
He said; “the norm has always being to ensure the educational sector continue to face setbacks, so the recycled politicians can continue to feed on the people’s ignorance. But as one with global understanding of community development, qualitative education remains the bedrock for such growth.”
He assured the body that he won’t let them down, if given the opportunity as his style of governance will be premised on democracy for the people, and not for the elites. Comrade Oma thanked them for coming and wished them safe trips to their various institutions of learning.
