Capt Idris Ichalla Wada is a man who knows how to hold his own without vanity or flamboyance.
Wada as Kogi State Governor without exergaration , is humble without servility, effective without showiness, brilliant without bullying, attribute construed as weakness.
An unobtrusive stalwart, selflessly serving for posterity, Wada’s nearly three years of stewardship as governor when x-rayed against his efforts at transforming the state, is what makes many who understand modern governance believe he is still the most preferred in 2015.
A close look at his action shows that he is a man whose action is motivated by public good, and not a man who will stretch the purse of the State for his own good. His gentle style of leadership is what has also stood him out.
Within the last few years of the Administration of Captain Idris Wada as Governor, there seem to have been a smoothness and progress on all fronts in the State.
All of this positive attainment were achieved without the usual noise many in government would have made.
Wada’s style of administration has made many have the opinion that In this period of our democratic experiment, what the State needs is a man of moral courage in government, not moved by the allure and paraphernalia of office, but one committed to living the state better than he met it.
All of these positive indicators which are attributes of Capt Wada, was made possible because the governor placed service to the people far and above the allure and comfort of the office of the governor.
Never has it been acknowledged as a fact that there is a responsible administration operating in the State as presently observed under Capt Idris Wada.
Even the worst of critics at the inception of the Wada administration have now made a U-turn in their opinion and have openly attested to the fact that yes we may not be there yet but that the state is now a work in progress.
The several support and return of prominent politicians to the PDP and Capt Wada’s fold, has no doubt strengthened the governor’s popularity ahead 2015.
This popularity is manifested with the thousands of defections to the PDP, by those in the opposition political parties and even by some PDP on lookers who didn’t support the governor at inception.
Come 2015 and as Kogi people elect another Governor, Captain Wada by performance indicator and the civility he brought to governance, holds the best hope for growth and development in the State.
With the good works been showcased as record by the Wada led administration, any need asking angles to come and govern the State?
literally speaking, Wada is the devil we know that has a human face.
Captain Wada without mincing words as Governor of Kogi State has come to equity with clean hands.
Public assessment of Capt Wada in office and in all front has been favorable.
Today, Kogi people cutting across the academia and other professions have rated the governor high on performance.
This rating no doubt is amidst several challenges met upon assumption of office by the governor. Presently, it is not out of place to see politicians from other political divide openly canvassing for Captain Wada based on his excellent performance.
For such politicians, it is not about political platform but about service delivery, peace, fairness, equity and justice that is in line with best practices, core values of his administration since inception.
To the majority who rate the Wada administration’s high, his transformation agenda has revealed the true test of leadership.
The Governor many say have performed excellently in most critical sectors, especially infrastructure, education, health, empowerment and agriculture where they ranked him high.
A pilot turned politician, Captain Wada is effectively the leader for the season as the state has no doubt been in a safe hands.
The PDP in Kogi remains one of the peaceful and united. Many thanks to his reconciliation moves with some aggrieved members.
To a large extent, without much controversy, Capt Wada’s style of governance and achievements, has silent the activities of power drunk politicians who have now looked else where for survival.
There has been wide spread call for Wada to run another term. Though the Governor is yet to give in to this genuine demand.
Already, his party, labour unions, elders of the State, believed the Governor has done well and have volunteered to campaign for him.
Under, the Wada administration, there has been a fair distribution of project. No town or community is short-changed in the State. In all, the Governor has been excellent in human relations.
As opined by many, the support for Capt Idris Wada is a call for progress,prudence and sustainable development that will always stand the test of time.
With daunting challenges known to all, the present time in the country is the most difficult times in the period of governance in Nigeria.
But Captain Idris Wada, working together with the people, has been able to serve the people, a reassurance that better days lie ahead.
From health care delivery to road construction, and Education to youth empowerment, the Wada administration is forging ahead with the over all objectives of making life a little easier for the people.
Amidst scarce resources, there abound several testaments to the single minded determination of Captain Idris Wada who many have agreed is working under the most challenging of circumstance.
This therefore makes him a better material, having made a success of the hard time, thus puts him at a vantage beyond 2016.
Through his dogged political will, and in creating an enabling environment, the administration has attracted foreign partners into the State’s economy and for businesses to thrive.
Today, Kogi is the most sought after bride by investors.
The last few years has seen an inflow of consortium of investors investing in Kogi because of the confidence the leadership has created.
Through the benefits of these inflow, jobs are created, there is also the Economic and social development aspect advantage with so much of backward integration advantage accruing to communities where investors have located their projects.
With new thinking and assurances displayed by the Wada administration, the State for the first time is now listed and a hot cake in the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
The purposeful and focused Wada administration has no doubt placed Kogi State on track.
Through his bold identity of creative leadership and enterprise, he saw to the completion of all inherited projects from the immediate past administration.
So far, what little other administration were not able to achieve in the building of new and the rehabilitation of General and cottage hospitals across the state, captain Wada has more than double Government commitment to reposition the health sector.
In a space of challenging and dwindling statutory allocation, the absence of collapsed and decayed infrastructures, but with a transformation agenda,anchored on a blueprint that is people oriented, touching the critical sectors of the State’s economy, the present administration is resolute in justifying its mandate.
Overwhelmingly voted into office, Captain Wada knows that he can’t give less back in terms of service to the people.
The administration has gone to a remarkable extent in making the State a food basket.
Agriculture has placed the State on the front burner. Aggressive farming of Rice, Cassava and palm tree plantation, an area the State has comparative advantage, is the flagship of the Wada’s transformation agenda in the Agriculture sector.
Aside the opening up of Rural roads, a massive construction of township roads across the State, Kogi in the area of the transport sub-sector is a massive construction site.
The administration inherited 36 road projects and initiated new ones. Majority are already completed while others are on-going.
The Hall mark of the Wada’s administration’s Housing programme is the on-going construction of 500 housing units in Ganaja and crusher areas of Lokoja.
This is after the completion of 270 post flood housing estate.
The on-going construction of Kogi House, an eleven story state of the art edifice in Abuja, also made the administration a jinx breaker.
With sufficient reasons, the present administration has made the remarkable pace, development and progress in almost all spheres.
The administration has provided over 60 rural water projects. This involves providing motorized bore holes and 20m3 capacity pressed steel over head tank installed with 30 KVA generator and a generator house across the State. Furthermore, the drilling of bore holes in about 150 locations, completion of 40 rural electrification schemes, provision of transformers to boost electrification in some communities across the State remains a high point of the administration.
Aside the recruitment of medical and teaching personnel numbering over a thousand, the youth advancement programme of the state has provided employment to over 5000 youths.
The developmental revolutions that has been experienced in Kogi State can be better appreciated when viewed from the odds against Capt. Wada and challenges the administration met on assumption.
For him to have made the state an investor’s bride and amongst the fastest growing economy in the country, one is tempted to conclude that, the transformation agenda of Captain Wada should stretch beyond 2016.
Governor Wada before and after becoming governor, knows that Kogi State is a State that holds so much for the future, so he never went to sleep.
While working to offer service for posterity, and not for political reason, It will not be out place therefore to say: Silently and unknowingly, Capt Wada has worked for a smooth transition in 2016. The unprecedented records of achievements thus far attained amidst a challenging journey through thick and thin, makes a choice of candidate for the next office of the governor of Kogi State determined through achievable programs and policies,practical logic and debates as well as altruism of the candidates, based on their antecedents and character both in public and private domain over the years.
With the governor’s achievements that are impactful, viewed side by side standard best practice of governance, one will not but be convinced that those that feel other wise do so for political reasons. Though the governor has not spoken, more than ever before, Capt Wada should be ready to bring to bear his astute leadership endowment and creativity quality by accepting the call to run again as his quest to take Kogi State to the promise land should not be limited by a first term.
