By Stanley Onyekwere
Barely a week, after quitting his position as the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Political, Budget and National Assembly, Senate Usman Jibril Wowo, at the weekend, finally made clear his interest in contesting for the lone Senate office of Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Wowo, who has repeatedly refused to acknowledge or dismiss his interest for the position, formally picked the nomination/expression of interest form to contest the only senatorial FCT seat in the National Assembly, under the platform of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) posing a challenge to the current occupant, Senator Philip Aduda. .
It was gathered that the SSA resigned his political appointment few days earlier before picking his nomination form that ended all speculations that surrounded his ambition to be the Senator of the FCT.
Addressing Journalists after picking the nomination form in company of his Director General Wowo Network, Abbahassan Grema, the immediate past SSA to FCT minister, pointed out that he has decided to join the race because of the perceived disconnect between the electorate and serving lawmaker, even as he assured that he will bridge the gap if elected.
“There is a disconnection between the electorate and the serving lawmaker. He has decided to stay away from his people and the party that brought him to power.
“I ‘m in the race to bridge this democratic gap. My election will define a new era of good representation in the upper chamber of the National Assembly,” he affirmed.
He however called on his supporters to be civil as respect for the electorate and the electioneering process is the hallmark of democratic practices, which he represents.
“My advice to my supporters is that they should maintain peace at all times election process is not about violence, it is about decorum and peaceful change and transition. What we are about to do is to ensure that people go about their lawful businesses unperturbed and our aim and mission is that the FCT progresses,” Wowo stressed.
He stressed that his entrance into the race marks a new era for the FCT PDP, its leadership and the residents of the territory whom he seeks to serve though an open door policy that would grant access for two way communication from the people to him and responses form him to the people for the good of all.
Wowo thanked the screening committee of the party for what he described as level playing ground to all the aspirants, assuring that the party will capture the Federal Capital Territory in all the elections in 2015.
The former ANNP political chieftain in the FCT who is popular amongst the grass-root moved to the PDP after several persuasion and consultation with directed his supporters who have not registered to own the permanent voters Card (PVC) which forms the prerequisite to cast their ballots.
He told the people that if he gets elected into office, he will promote the culture of partnership between the FCT and various business entities in the territory for the benefit of the residents even as he would facilitate effective coordination of legislation that would improve the quality of life of Abuja Residents and the city in general.
Wowo said “gone are the days where an elected person will disconnect himself from members of the party and from all the people. With the picking of this form today, I want to say that PDP as a party in the FCT has turned a new leaf and would win the elections in the FCT.”
Earlier, the chairman of the screening committee, Alhaji Saidu Danmasani assured the aspirant that the party will fair to all the aspirants, stressing that internal democracy has been the defining success of the party in recent time.
