Kogi Guber: NNPP Screens 6 Aspirants, Hopeful of Victory

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has screened six aspirants ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Kogi State.

Those screened include Ukele Ali, Musa Saliu Mubarak, Abdulraham Abubakar, Oni Felix Sunday, Isah Yakubu and Sunday Momoh.

Members of the party’s screening committee are: Dr Ajuji Ahmad (Chairman), Prof. Shehu Usman Adamu

(Secretary), Maryam Bello Yasin, Ladipo Johnson and Muhammad Auwal Musa.

In his address, Dr Ahmad assured the aspirants that the screening process would be transparent and open, adding that nobody would be cheated in the race.

He said: “The NNPP is an open party, a fair minded party and we take the opportunity to not just welcome but to also assure you individually that the process is going to be very transparent, open and objective.

“We assure each of you of fairness in our decision at the end of the day. It is not going to be our decision actually, it will be the decision of the National Working Committee.”

An aspirant, Senator Adulrahman Abubakar, said the people would enjoy the dividends of democracy.

According to him, indigenes of the state should not be where they are today because of the natural resources in the state.

“The screening went well. I have contested elections in the past and I have won. By the grace of God, what has actually brought me into the contest is pitiable situation of Kogi State.

“As it is at the moment. With the natural endorsement should be one of the topmost state in this country in terms of infrastructure development.

“The people are crying of workers not being paid, pensioners not being paid and stories of woes.

“Where I worked starting from the managerial level to the managing director and chief executive of the railway managerial position, we knew what we went through.

“The experience I gathered there is what I intend to put into use in Kogi State. It is to return Kogi State to the place of glory where the almighty has already placed it.

“I think the resources available even though not surplus are enough to put things in place if well harnessed.”

On the zoning formula, he said: “Politics is a game of numbers. Go to Benue State, the Tiv has provided and produced the governors up till the present one. The Idoma has produced the deputy governors.

“The Tiv even went further to take the speaker of the house. We need human beings that have experience. After winning the election, we will now sit down and try to see how everybody will be integrated into the system.

“We will not run a government that will give preference to one area against the other. The only time you will talk of preference is in terms of population when you want to give things to people.”

Another aspirant, Ukele Ali, said he would provide alleviate the sufferings of the people through agriculture, Information and Communication Technology.

He said: “If elected, I am going to create prosperity for all. I am going to do it through agriculture, ICT, establishment of cottage industry.

“We will also venture into solid minerals and of course, security. If you do not have security you cannot provide prosperity for the people”