Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (ADC) in the November governorship election, Elder Leke Abejide has pledged to rescue Kogi state from “socio-economic dungeon” if elected.
Abejide made this known on Sunday when he visited stakeholders in Okene/Ogori-Magongo federal constituency, in Kogi Central Senatorial District, including monarchs, community and religious leaders.
Okene is the home of the incumbent Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello and the All Progressives Congress – APC (APC) governorship candidate, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo
The visits were in continuation of the statewide campaign tour by the ADC governorship candidate for the November 11 election
The ADC candidate said that rescuing Kogi from socio-economic dungeon became imperative in view of the poverty and hardships the citizens are presently in.
“Giving my knowledge of the problems of the state and the resources through my various empowerment programmes, I am well prepared for the task of rescuing the entire state from its present state of socioeconomic dungeon.
“My policy and programme of settling WAEC fees for our young students in school for good six years now is part of efforts to educate our citizens toward economic empowerment.
“Just of recent, I extended the largesse to Kabba-Bunu-Ijumu federal constituency with the hope of further extension to 21 local government areas of the state.
“This because education is bedrock of any society just as knowledge is power, our people need to be empowered to know how to create wealth and come of poverty. Kogi is rich in mineral resources that only need to be tapped,” he said.
Addressing supporters at the rally held in Okene town, Abejide recalled that he contributed to the success of the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello in the 2015 election. He said the people of Kogi West and Central have a long history of working harmoniously together since their days in the old Kwara State. He therefore pleaded with the people of the Central to support Kogi West in the actualization of power shift in 2024.
“In view of my support for your son in the past, and in view of the long years of harmonious relationship between the people of Kogi West and Kogi Central, in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice, after eight years and two terms of your son, Governor Yahaya Bello, I beg you to support power shift to Kogi West this time around so that power can go round all the three segments of the state. I beg you to vote for me on November 11. It is the turn of Kogi West to produce the governor. It is my turn”, he said.
He promised to be fair to all tribes in the multi ethnic setting of Kogi State, if elected.
He promised to support widows and farmers in Okene and environ with soft, interest free loans to enable them engage in small and medium entrepreneurship and sustainable farming activities.
Earlier, in Ogori, addressing some traditional chiefs at the Palace of the Uboro of Ogori, Professor Olu Akerejola, a former Director General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Chairman of the ADC campaign council, Chief Shola Ojo said the visit was to seek the blessings of the monarchs for Abejide’s governorship ambition and also to brief them about his plans for the state.
He also called on the people of Ogori-Magongo for the support for the actualization of power shift to Kogi West Senatorial District, 32 years after the creation of Kogi State.
“The Igala held power for 19 years. Ebira has held power for the eighth year running. The Ebira also produced Governor during our days in the old Kwara State. In all of these the area presently known now as Kogi West has aligned with and supported our Ebira brothers. This is the time for somebody from Kogi West, what is right is right, justice is justice”.
He said although Leke Abejide is not alone, as the zone also has Senator Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Olayinka Braimoh of the African Alliance (AA), the team presented in Abejide the best candidate because of his unblemished records and his performance as a two-term member of House of Representatives, which he said he has surpassed his predecessors only in his first term. His performance during his first term, he stressed, served as the pathway to his reelection.
Abejide described Ogori as a place rich with arable land which can be transformed into economic benefits.
According to him, he made money from the farm, being one of the major exporters of sesame seed in the country with partners in over 53 countries.
“I came from the private sector backgrounds with mindset of entrepreneurship. My running mate, Dr Idris Omede was President, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, he was President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
“This is the perfect team that the ADC has presented to Kogi people to lift the state out of socio-economic dungeon,” he said.