Kogi guber: Adoji, Attawodi, Tettes, others join race

..As Agbedi pledges to transform Bayelsa.

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The November 16 governorship race in Kogi State got to its peak yesterday as Dr. Victor Adoji, AVM Saliu Attawodi, rtd, Mohammed Shaibu Tettes and Bayo Adobayin Averehi obtained their expression of interest and nomination forms from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), headquarters, Abuja.
While speaking with journalists after the procurement of his forms, Adoji frowned at the hasty release of about N30 billion bail out fund to the governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, a fund that was denied his predecessor, Captain Idris Wada at the twilight of his administration.
He expressed the hope that the governor will judiciously use the fund to settle salary arrears and provide other infrastructural needs of the state rather divert it for political expediency.
In his words,, “I don’t see that money going into the use it was allocated for in the first place. It is I’ll timed, it is improper and it is immoral.
“While I felt that the timing was wrong in terms of making those funds available, am equally very very happy that it will help people who are dying and they are going to have reprieve if the money is used appropriately.
“Am happy that people will get their money so long as they have used it for the purpose they were allotted”, he said.
Also expressing his desire to become the Chief executive of Kogi State, AVM Saliu Attawodi said that if elected, he will turn the fortunes of the state around, revamp critical sectors, revive agriculture and place Kogi on the path of economic growth.
Attawodi said that he will take charge of the security of the state and also ensure regular payment of salaries, highlighting that about 22 states pass through Lokoja just as he lamented that the state has nothing to show despite its strategic position and the huge deposit of mineral buried beneath the soil of Kogi state.
His words, “The human capital development of the state is laughable because without the people, you will not have a state. I will also tackle education because education is power he assured”.
Also addressing the Press, Mohammed Shaibu Tettes, who spent over 20years with Heineken International, pledged to bring his years of experience in the private sector to trim down bureaucracy and ensure speedy service delivery.
He said that he will review civil service manpower, assess the financial baggage of the state and come out with a strategy that will ensure that he will pay salaries within 90 days in office.
Parts of his programmes, he said, include; “Review of the ongoing staff verification audit and immediately convene a no-holds-bar interactive session between the Kogi state government and individual victims of the mass retrenchment exercise undertaken by the current government to discuss the way out of the impasse and agree on workable solutions towards clearing the backlog of wages, terminal benefits and other pending matters of importance”.
Also speaking, Bayo Averehi assured Kogi electorate that he will personally interface with the people and make their welfare his uttermost priority.
Averehi pledged to liberate Kogi state from its present poverty stricken form if elected.
He lamented that over 80percent of the resources of the state are being plundered presently instead of being channeled into areas that will make life easy for the masses of the state..
Also yesterday, a governorship aspirant from Bayelsa State, Tobin Ziperedein Igiri also picked his nomination forms expressed his desire to end youth restiveness, ensure youth empowerment and make sure that security situation was under control in the state.
Igiri, who worked with Shell Petroleum and a member of the restoration group family in Bayelsa State, denied being the anointed candidate of the governor.
He promised that he will subject himself to the decision of the party if they decide to go for a consensus.
Further more, another governorship aspirant, Hon. Fred Agbedi stressed that he stands by his contract to transform the state, ensure security of lives and properties and accelerate infrastructural development for the state if elected the next governor.
Agbedi who was represented by his Campaign Director, Dr. Pabara Newton Igwele during the submission of his nomination form, assured that the aspirant will be very victorious at the polls.