By Stephen Adeleye.
The Ohinoyi of Ebiraland HRM Dr Ahmed Tijani-Anaje, has advocated for the rotation of Governorship seat across the three senatorial districts of Kogi State to enshrine equity, fairness and justice.
The paramount ruler made the call when the management of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, led by its Rector, Prof. Salisu Ogbo Usman, paid a courtesy visit to Ohinoyi’s Palace on Friday in Okene.
The revered monarch stressed the need for the relevant stakeholders to critically look into his advice and work towards making a legislation that would make the governorship seat a rotational basis.
“Kogi State is own by everyone of us. Rotating our governorship seat in Kogi State is the best way to move forward. I am optimistic that one day stakeholders will sit down and look at this critically.
“When it is on rotation, once your tenure elapse, their is no need for the other side to come out and contest; it is important to shift it to another side.
“I believe by doing so, it will help to reduce the tension and enshrine equity, fairness and justice in our state,” Ohiniyi said..
The royal father stressed the need for unity among various ethnic groups in Nigeria noting that without unity there would not be any meaningful development.
He commended the Rector for his tremendous achievements in the institution especially the establishment of the School of Agricultural Technology to ensure food security in Kogi and Nigeria.
“The achievement of Professor Salisu Ogbo Usman is highly commendable and appreciated by all and sundry in the state.
“I can now see why the Governor renewed your appointment. I am now convinced that you deserve more. You are not doing this to help the students alone but you are helping the entire nation,” the monarch said.
The royal father commended Governor Ahmed Ododo for his achievements in Kogi within a short time in office, stressing that the governor is doing well.
He commended the Kogi youths for not participating in the #EndBadGovernance protest, describing the decision has highly commendable, and urged Nigerian youths to embrace dialogue.
He, however, admonished Nigerians to go back to agriculture, stressing that it would guarantee food security and economic development in the country.
“I have over 100 people working in this palace, and I have directed all of them to go into farming.
“Farming is the only way out of this current hardship. Here in this palace, I have my own farm so that I and my family can be self sufficient,” Ohinoyi said.
He commended the Rector and his management team for the visit, and assured them of his total support for the betterment of the institution and the state in general.
He urged the Polytechnic to provide the Palace with relevant documents that would guide the traditional council in resolving the encroachment of issue of Intake campus amicably without crisis.
Earlier, the Rector, said the visit to Ohinoyi was to officially congratulate the paramount ruler on his ascension on the throne, intimate him of his reappointment, and to seek his prayer, support and fatherly advice.
The rector added that the visit was also to appeal to the Royal father to intervene in the encroachment of the school land in its satellite campus in Itakpe in Adavi Local Government Area.
Speaking on the achievements of his administration in office, the Rector said with the support of his management team and the governor, the Polytechnic has been transformed into a global brand.
He explained that aside the numerous infrastructure development, they have been able to sanitise the system by curbing exam malpractice, insecurity, cultism and other social vices in the institution.
He added that the institution had obtained 100 per cent full accreditation of all its programmes, plug revenue leakages through full implementation of Treasury Single Account (TSA), and digitalized examinations.
“Under my watch, we were able to have Ten combined convocations between 2014 to 2023, improved staff welfare, implementation and payment of promotion arrears from 2014 to 2020.
“Our staff welfare is a top priority, and we are optimistic that the Governor will soon approve the payment of promotion arrears of 2021 to 2023 which have been compiled,” he said.
The rector promised not to disappoint the royal father, the former and the incumbent governors, the people of the state and the nation at large.
