Kogi Governor declares for second term

dimeji akinloye

August 20, 2015 2:53 AM

Wada described his first term as challenging, occasioned by litigations and a drastic decline in the resources accruing to the state

Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State.

After months of speculations, Kogi State Governor Idris Wada finally declared his ambition to contest for second term.

Wada made his intention known on Tuesday, August 18, in his acceptance speech to the PDP stakeholders and Elders Advisory Council endorsement, said he had garnered enough experience to tackle the problem of the state and promised to consolidate on his first term achievement if elected.

He said: “The words of our elders are words of wisdom, but I have come to appreciate in the last few weeks that before elders speak, they must have employed experience, patience, candour and courage.

“It is indeed gratifying that our noble party men, women and youths have provided me a good opportunity to run again, so that we can finish the race that we all started.

"The advantage in the philosophy of continuity is that all these impactful projects highlighted above can add value to the lives of the people of our dear State if they are taken to a logical conclusion by our administration. The benefit is for everyone irrespective of the political affiliation of any indigene of the state.

“Conversely, there is a great risk of losing invaluable investment of these projects if other people that are not part of the vision inherit them. No vision can be driven better than the visioner.”

The Governor's party chieftains and members had persuaded him to consider a rerun upon expiration of his first term, but he did not public agree to the step until now.

“The last three and a half years have taken us through various seasons. We have experienced and survived a natural disaster that presented as flood, we have confronted and overcome legal challenges that presented as the assertion of rights.

'’We have walked through the valleys and mountains of industrial actions with their potential threat and eventual triumph. In all these, I am now better experienced, better equipped and better empowered to steer the vision on course.

"I am better trained to pursue the mission of our party, drive our transformation process to the altitude and land on a safe and firm ground that provides stability and sustainability for successive administrations and generations in our State.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), governorship election will hold in Kogi State on November 21, 2015.

Polls did not hold in the state during the last April 11 governorship election because Wada's tenure had not ended.

dimeji akinloye