Exxon Mobil Boss, Olushola George Olumoroti, Pharm. Aliyu Zakari Jiya and former Managing Director of the Daily Times Newspapers, Dr. Adinoyi Ojo Onukaba have obtained both expression of interest and nomination forms to clinch the All Progressive Congress (APC) gubernatorial ticket for the kogi elections scheduled for 21st November 2015 which has become intense.
Loading ...Addressing journalists at the party secretariat in Abuja, on Thursday, Olumoroti who is currently on a leave of absence from the oil company with an asset base of not less than N17bn said he was in a better position to manage the resources of the state.
“I have quality training that qualifies me to handle Kogi state resources. I also have the requisite experience to turnaround the fortunes of Kogi state,” Olumoroti said.
He said that the Kogi is blessed with resources but lack good leadership, saying the state needed new ideas to move forward.
The Exxon Mobil Boss also promised to invest in agriculture to bring about value-chain, road network and tourism so as to improve the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) while he plan to push Kogi up among the top 10 states in the country.
On the insinuations that some of the aspirants could be fronting for a particular aspirant, he denied what he called rumours of fronting for a former governor of the state, Prince Abubakar Audu.
“That is a rumour. For me, Engineer Olumoroti, I bought the forms for myself,” he added.
Jiya a pharmacist who also picked his forms after the statutory payment of N5.5 million told journalists that he has the required qualities along with the support of Kogi citizens to deliver the state from its present state of under-development.
“I have been in the opposition all my life and I believe APC is a party that govern with the rule of law. I do not expect the party to come up and ask us to step down for anyone,” he said.
Jiya however stated that he will welcome the idea of all aspirants coming together to present a consensus candidate for the November 21governorship election.
On his part, the Former Managing Director of the Daily Times Newspapers Onukaba said that his ambition to be the next governor of Kogi state is real adding that he is not out to step down for any other aspirants without genuine reasons owing to the fact that he is also qualified.
The former Special Assistant on Media to the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, revealed that he has a unique credentials and required exposure to move the state forward.
While answering questions after he had been presented the Nominations and Expression of Interest forms yesterday at the APC national secretariat, Onukaba said Kogi state has the resources, both human and material to meet the need of the people.
When asked whether he could step down when persuaded, he said, “I believe that I am bringing a very unique credentials to this race. I believe that Kogi state need my service and the state needs someone like me because of my exposure, my education and for the fact that I also cut across.
“I am someone who have friends in the three senatorial district and people genuinely believe that I can make a different. So somebody has to offer me a good reason why I should step down.”
According to him, the large number of aspirants contesting the ticket shows the vibrancy of the state emphasising that the party should cut down the number of contestants if need be.
Also interacting with journalists, Ocholi Enejoh James (SAN) who is also an aspirant said given what what happened at party’s presidential primaries the party has no plan to impose any aspirant as it is committed to ensuring a level playing ground adding that the party leadership should restrict last-defection into APC for electoral gains.
“24 years ago Kogi state was created along with others, and 24 years later, no indices of development present, no single industry apart from Obajana Cement, (there is) no IGR, the state is begging for money like the proverbial woman sitting on a gold mine”
