The Special Adviser to Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State on Media, Jacob Edi has identified malice, mischief or ignorance as reasons why some persons peddle lies that Governor Wada is under-performing.
Chances of winning the election in spite of strong challenge.
Look nothing good comes easy. We are not deluding ourselves that the road to His Excellency’s second term is going to be rosy. It will be foolhardy to assume the journey will be a smooth ride. It is a contest. But what I can confirm to you hear is that all facts considered we will win the elections. Trust me.
Poor performance.
Like you said these are merely allegations. Within the limits of the resources available to him, Wada remains the best governor our state has had. He’s neither fetish nor rules the state like a fief. For those who allege the governor has not performed they do so purely out of malice, mischief, ignorance or all of the above. Let me put on record that the malicious ones are mainly his political opponents who may never see anything good in him. Those who are ignorant are people who have been away from home for so long and are therefore cut off from developments at home.
Upon assumption of office Capt. Wada displayed a rare courage in the history of Nigeria’s politics by choosing to continue and complete many projects that he inherited from his predecessor. They include Confluence Stadium, State Secretariat Phase Two, Greater Lokoja Water Scheme, Extension of Confluence Beach Hotel, Dualisation of Anpka Township Road, Dualisation of Federal Poly Idah to Idah township Road, and Cottage Hospital, Icheke.
Of course while making sure that the principle of continuity is observed the Kogi strong man initiated several sectorial projects many of which have been completed. In the area of education the governor has renovated most secondary schools he met at different stages of dilapidation. These include Govt. Secondary School, Dekina, AAMCO Okene, Holy Rosary College, Idah, St. Augustine College, Kabba, and St. Charles College, Anpka. Hostels were built at Kogi State University, Anyigba and Kogi State Polytechnic Lokoja, Construction of Specialist Hospital for the College of Medicine of KSU, Anyigba, infrastructure development at Kogi State College of Education (Technical) Kabba, College of Education Anpka, distribution of learning materials at primary schools and introduction of new areas of learning at KSU Anyigba and KP Lokoja. Construction of Administrative Block and Laboratory at School of Nursing Obangede.
If you take other physical developments like roads construction, housing and in infrastructural Development the governor has made his mark as well. As we speak the following construction work is on-going.
Construction of 16km bye pass from Ganaja – Otokiti Village, construction of Welcome to Lokoja – Zango Daji – Otokiti Dual Carriage way, Drainage and Rehabilitation of Murtala Mohammed Way – International Market, Lokoja, Rehabilitation of Idah – Onyrdega Rd, Okura Township Road, Hassan Katsina – House of Assembly Road, Ihima – Obangede Road, Ogori – Ageva Road.
Construction of Post flood Housing Estate, 500 Houses Bond Estate, construction of New Kogi Hotels, renovation of Governor’s Lodge Asokoro and construction of 12-storey Kogi House in Abuja.
Construction of Nigerian- Korea Friendship Centre at Kogi Poly.
Health: Completion of Cottage Hospital, Icheke, 40 bed capacity Cottage Hospital, Odu Ogboyaga, renovation of General Hospitals in the State, Construction of Referral and Diagnostic Centre as Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, rehabilitation of Govt. House Clinic, Workers Village Clnic, construction of Chest Clinic at General Hospital Okene, Renovation of Central Medical Store at Zone 8 Lokoja.
There is also the free health programme of the state whereby doctors and other health specialists go round each of the 21 Councils every three months to provide free health services in the state.
Reticulation and extension of Greater Lokoja Water Scheme to every nook and crannies of the state, provision of more than 200 boreholes in different communities.
Of course agriculture is even one of the governor’s strongest points. The success in this area has earned him both local and international applause. Distribution of tractors and farm inputs across the State, Accelerated Rice farm at Seriki Noma and Idah, establishment of Staple food processing zone at Alape Bunu, are some of these giant strides. I can assure you that Kogi is the real food basket of Nigeria.
The State has a robust youth empowerment program. It has become so successful to the level that other states are emulating it. Tagged Youth Advancement and Development for Kogi State, YAD4Kogi the initiative has liberated more than Five thousand young persons from the shackles of poverty, idleness and crime. That was Wada’s classic answer to the menace of thuggery which had advanced to state craft when he took over as governor.
The administration pays its workers as and when due. Except for an outstanding of one month, the Governor has been up to date in the paying salaries and allowances of the state government’s work force.
So seriously you will agree with me that only malice, mischief or ignorance could have led anybody to allege the governor is not performing.
Challenge to his leadership.
PDP is a large party. The seat of a governor is not a small thing. So you don’t expect that people will not contest with it. The party is just a platform for the expression of this interest. So definitely people must vie. The PDP does not stop anybody from viewing and that is why party members are expected to go through a process called party primaries. Those who see the emergence of other aspirants as challenge are just myopic. They expect that they could manipulate the party to give them an automatic ticket. We are not ales expecting an automatic ticket. Our performance will speak for us. Those expecting automatic ticket should seek other political parties that doesn’t believe in primaries. But I can assure you that the relationship between the governor and the party leadership both at state and federal levels is very cordial. In spite of that the governor is not looking for any automatic ticket. In fact more than twice the state chapter of the party has passed a vote of confidence on the governor.
Endorsement by Elders and Counter Endorsement.
We are in politics. Some people will like you and some will not. No matter how good you are. They are elders so let their conscience be their judge. And if anybody is dropping their names as being against the governor, I wish them well. For those who endorsed the governor we are grateful. We have many of such endorsement from different groups. For those who did counter endorsement it is our hope that they see the light and join Capt. Wada’s winning team.
