This post is not meant to please anyone. It is not made in support of politicos or a conjecture of public opinions. It is made for the sanctity of truth and orderliness, and the general struggles which many had trade for self-conceits.
First and foremost, I have scrutinized more than 70 percent candidates jostling for the governorship post, and it’s appalling that I could not find a genuine candidacy among them. I know for sure this will come as a surprise, but they are not genuine in their aspiration because their manifesto entails nothing order than payment of salaries. Some said they will clear all outstanding. Others are saying they will increase the current workers’ wages and ensure they get promoted as at when due. This is trash as far as I am concerned. It’s another form of lies conscripted in an already deformed political mantra. Salary payment is the least of our problem as at the moment. I won’t deny that our dear civil servants need it, but there are much more cogent issues that if properly righted, consistent payment of salary gets activated. We will discuss this soon.
We all are nailing Yahaya Bello for his inability to pay salaries but we deliberately ignore some factorizing realities. Has anyone care to know that Kogi state made the fourth least among states with highest paid civil servants? Has anyone realized that Nigeria as a mono economic dependent Nation is vulnerable to economic depletion which in a nutshell bears direct impact on the stewardship of state imprudent leaders who has taken it as norm to depend on the FG for survival? Has anyone care to know that salary saga did goes down the memory lane as far as some past leaders are concern?
Bello is a colossal failure, yes. But these are the gospel truth everyone must know in order to be guided into the future. I think we should begin to look inward which is where Bello actually failed. Every governorship aspirant campaigning with payment of salaries has nothing to offer, John Paul said so.
Before I speak on the subject matter, let me tell whoever cares to listen that Kogi state needs an innovative leader. A leader who can look beyond the tradition where state depends on the FG for everything to harness the betterment of the state via its vastly endowed resources. A leader who can be enterprising with the business of governance. This is whom we need and not the branded faces rambling with salaries payment. Let me also warn that if this is not adhered to, we may cease to exist before the projected 2021/22 recession occurs.
I was opportune to listen the chairman of first Bank Nigeria, Dr Mrs. Ibukun Awosika addressed Nigeria governors’ forum. In her speech she emphasis on good governance via few personal questions- who am I? How did a choose to take on this assignment? Where am I going? What is the goal for which I chose these assignments? What do I choose to deliver to my people?
According to her, an honest answer to those questions will determine how best a leader can positively affect the people. As a matter of fact, there can be no reality other than that which you tell yourself, and until everyone aspiring to lead genuinely answers these questions, our quests for true governance may tarry.
Having partake in the last election in Kogi state, and having had opportunities to meet aspirants as regard their political objective, I can tell categorically that all hope is not lost in Kogi state. Kogi political impact is an art crafted in some aspirants. Their engagements so far and the messages they preach everywhere they go tell this better. They are not desperate in their vest to lead the people, their political message inculcates undiluted unity, equality and peaceful co-existence amongst all. Even when some fought so hard using personal resources to bring hope to the hopeless, they were pushed out for declining to collude with oppressors and anti-humans. And despite the various counsels to seek legal redress, they were reluctant- a justifications that the interest of the people supersedes all. They are the true democrats, the embodiment of our endeared Kogi state. They believe in selflessness and collectivism. What matters to them is good names not riches. They are determined to unravel the confluence potentialities and above all, their struggle is a better Kogi state for all.
They constantly frown at evil doers knowing fully well that those against whom evil is perpetrated are humans like them. They are intellectually sound, morally stable. Their support for diversification of our revenue base is unflinching, and if we can look beyond greed and enthrone them, our state will be a point of testimony for all.
One of these grooming heroes whom I felt is best for this tasking job is Dr Victor Alewo Adoji – Kogi East senatorial hopeful in the last NASS elections. He is a dreamer with uncommon vision to liberate the entire Kogi state politically. His academic background is uncommon. His message typifies someone who has genuinely answered the questions raised by Dr Mrs. Ibukun Awosika above.
Despite the prevailing notion about Nigeria politics, Dr. Adoji’s activities defines it in different forms, manners and approach. He preaches love and tolerance among his followers and has relentlessly warned that violent is not part of his political context. He fought so hard with his God given resources but the merchant of vices and political traducers whose lineage, nothing good will emerge had their ways.
Dr Victor Adoji is more qualified for this job because;
In the course of his political engagements, he has constantly posited that by default, Kogi state should be Nigeria’s hub of economic activities.
He has upheld that until Nigeria leaders begin to see the chore of governance with an enterprising approach, we may not get to where we want to be.
He has maintained timelessly that creating employment is not the solution but the enabling environment through which individual potentials can be enhanced.
To DVAA, in every youth there an industry, therefore, social decadences can be curbed if they are given the opportunity to express themselves.
To him, Kogi state is very much endowed with resources that can sustain her citizens. But the current challenges of non-payment of salaries and wages can be sustained if those at the helm of affairs can begin to look into the environment in terms of revenue generation instead of depending endlessly for state allocation which in some cases never come on time or not enough to sustain salary payment.
This among few, are the distinctive qualities of DVAA ahead of his political contemporaries
My fear therefore is, for people like DVAA whose concept of governance believes and practices people’s approach, and who sees the masses as the major stake holders, will he accept the mandate considering what election has become in Kogi state? His supporters in the last senatorial elections were subjected to all forms of inhuman tortures ranging from physical assault to unwarranted attacks on his person.
Will Dr Victor accept to sail Kogites to the promise land despite what happened in the last election? Of course, those who have studied and digested his political manifestoes will stop at nothing to declare their support for him, they are much willing to die supporting him and he is much willing to serve his people. But with what was recorded in the last election, I doubt. Besides, experience they say is the best teacher.
As events unfold, I implore our king makers, Kogi East Elders’ Forum, political/religious organizations, NGOs, activists and every like mind to support Adoji’s candidature per adventure he accepts to contest in the governorship race.
I have written to Zenith Bank Plc on behalf of ‘Operation Win Back Kogi State’ in search of any shady deals or criminal records in the course of his engagement. I have also conducted several researches on his profile, Dr Victor Adoji has an untainted background, as a matter of fact, Zenith Bank’s success history is never completed without Adoji. This I can confide without a rethink.
As for kogi state and her impending economic crisis, look at what Adoji has always posit:
“I hear people talk about Kogi being a civil service state: is it? Perhaps, observed from the level of the state’s recurrent expenditure as a major component of total expenditure. A civil service is not sustainable and we must transit to an enterprise state if we must survive and flourish”.
How possible could that be? Look at the answer that DVAA gave on the keyword (how) written in capital letters above;
“By creatively buoy the internally Generated Revenue IGR and dedicate it entirely to the recurrent expenditure while up to 80% of the federal allocation is dedicated to ‘value creating capital projects”.
Again, I repeat “Value creating capital projects”. Do you want to Know what the value creating capital projects are? Adoji has listed them, please join me in the next episode for details.
However, I have never had a one on one discussion with the grooming Igala Nelson Mandela and the replica of Dr Stephen Omakoji Achema, what I did was to scrutinize his candidature and without mincing words, he is the only worthy son for this task. As an advocate of good governance, I have given my conscience.
Let’s do this for the betterment of our dear state.
– John Paul
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