An All progressives Congress (APC) aspirant for the Kogi State gubernatorial election, scheduled for November 21, Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman, has stated that Kogi people will have reasons to be happy if he is given the chance to govern the state. This was made known in a statement issued by his media adviser, Michael Jegede, to congratulate the people of Kogi on the 24th anniversary of the state.
Urging the people to thank God for the gift of life, the immediate past senator for Kogi Central senatorial district, lamented the stagnation occasioned by bad leadership, which has remained the bane of infrastructural and socio-economic development in the state in the past 24 years. He said: "I congratulate my fellow citizens of Kogi State on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of our beloved state."
"Though, there is nothing on ground to call for celebration, we have to thank God that we are alive to witness this day. Kogi State, created on August 27, 1991 from the old Benue and Kwara states, was set up to achieve rapid growth via the comparative advantages of human capital, vast mineral resources and good governance, which would cascade to development for the good people of Kogi State. However, since the return to democratic rule from 1999 to date, the story has been that of stagnation and negative growth.
"The state is now amongst the poorest in Nigeria with negative indicators such as low life expectancy rate, high infant mortality rate, poor infrastructure, high unemployment, low literacy level, to mention a few.
"It is abysmally appalling and pathetic that after 24 years in existence, we cannot as citizens from Kogi be proud of our own dear state. My fellow Kogites, we just cannot allow this to continue. The time for change has come and we must all join hands together to make it happen. Kogi will certainly be better under our government if we are given the chance to come on board."
With people oriented programmes, Abatemi-Usman stated his administration will ‘Activate Kogi’ simply by activating the existing potential and inherent capabilities of our resources both human and material; focus on liberating our people by establishing structures via institutions and using best laid down processes in order to positively affect the socio-economic fabric of our people; make Kogi State and her indigenes truly prosperous socially and economically; capitalising on our diversity, cultural backgrounds, ethnic dispositions to create a progressive ‘One Kogi’; among other laudable programmes.