BY UKWUMONU SULEIMAN
INTRODUCTION:
As the people of Kogi State prepare go to the polls in two months from now, Ukwumonu Suleiman of CEDO Media Network for GYB 2019, writes on the imperatives of re-electing Governor Yahaya Bello for a second term in office.
It is no more news that all is now set for the November sixteen Governorship election in Kogi State. It is also expedient to state that political parties have equally held their primary elections, with some affirming their candidates to vie for the Governorship seat of the Confluence State.
Prominent among political parties that have cleared their candidates to run for the November election is the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC). After all the necessary procedures and laid down guidelines were fully observed and adhered to, especially screening of aspirants and subsequent primary elections of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Yahaya Bello emerged the candidate of the party to fly its flags, inspite all the distractions, bickering and mudslinging against Governor Yahaya Bello in the entire process leading to the Primary election, the incumbent Governor of Kogi State came out victorious in a primary election that has been adjudged as one of the freest and fairest so far conducted in the history of the State.
Even ardent critics of the Governor will come to agree that his emergence as candidate of the APC for the November Sixteenth Governorship election has the unseen hand of providence which dictates the affairs of man.
The first term of Governor Bello no doubt was characterized by many trials in view of the fact that he had to change the trajectory of politics as being played in the State.
There is no doubt that in the history of political appointments in the state the youths have never had it so good as children of nobody have today become somebody through their recognition by the youthful Governor who has demonstrated genuine love for the youth and brought to the fore the age long slogan of youths becoming leaders of tomorrow.
The Civil Service before the advent of the present administration was the worst hit as only privileged few milked the resources of the state to the detriment of the larger crop of Civil Servants.
The resultant effect of the decay in the civil service was exposed during the civil service reform embarked upon by the Bello Administration, though painful, the result of the reform has reinforced the believe of the people in a civil service that works.
Although the Bello administration inherited arrears of salary, today the State Government has been able to clear salaries of all genuine civil servants. Critics are quick to point out that the Governor has no projects to show for his stewardship in the first tenure, this is a far cry from what is on ground for everyone to see.
The Governor has made tremendous impact in the area of Infrastructural Development across the three Senatorial Districts of the state. In Kogi East, several roads have been completed like the Ankpa Township road, the Idah-Ajaka-umoini road, Ibana-Okpo-Ogugu road and many others which were left uncompleted for several years have either been completed or are nearing completion.
Today several communities that have been in darkness for decades in Kogi East are soon to enjoying electricity with the ongoing massive electrification projects of communities and towns through a Committee headed by the Chief of Staff, Chief Edward Onoja.
Similarly in the Agricultural sector, the Ejiba Rice Mill in Kogi West is a project that has greatly touched the lives of the people. The Omi dam project and several water projects attest to the Governor’s commitment to providing the gains of democracy to the people.
In the area of security, the Governor has achieved tremendously, that most people in the State can now sleep with their eyes closed, as issues of armed robbery, kidnappings and other criminal tendencies hitherto witnessed before the coming of this administration have been reduced to the bearest minimum.
The efforts of Governor Yahaya Bello in the security sub-sector is widely acknowledged both at home and outside, resulting in many awards of excellence in security being conferred on him from different bodies and organizations.
The health sector has also received major attention in tertiary health institutions and centres across the twenty-one Local Government Areas of the State. This is aside the free medical services, Door-to-Door GYB Medical outreach as well as personal medical interventions by the Governor on urgent cases brought before him by indigent patients.
The leadership efforts of Governor Yahaya Bello have not gone unnoticed within and outside the state. Since Governor Bello’s emergence as the standard flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress for the November, 2019 Governorship election in Kogi State, there are plethora of goodwill messages from individuals, groups and Associations.
The unlimited flow of these messages points to one specific fact, that His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello truly deserved to fly the flag of his party in the coming election given his outstanding performance so far.
Only last week during a meeting with all the aspirants involved in the just concluded primary election of APC and the National Working Committee of the Party, the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiohmole gave the Kogi State Governor a pat on the back for making the party proud through his unprecedented achievements since assumption of office.
The National Chairman of the ruling APC both at the NWC meeting and subsequent visit to President Muhammadu Buhari noted that the Governor of Kogi State has performed creditably in the last three and half years than the thirteen years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.
Comrade Oshiohmole acknowledge with satisfaction that Governor Bello has been able to settle salary arrears inherited from previous administrations in the state.
The APC National Chairman further expressed confidence that Governor Bello has all it takes to win the election; not only for repositioning the party as one indivisible family but his commitment to selflessly serve his people.
No doubt, the numerous goodwill messages and solidarity extended to the Governor so far as well as the commendation from the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiohmole, himself being a Former Governor and a successful labour leader in the country is a good development.
It is therefore important for all stakeholders of the APC, especially those who contested with the Governor during the Primary election to join forces and work as a team to deliver Governor Yahaya Bello overwhelmingly in the November sixteenth Governorship election in Kogi State.
That Commentary on the imperative of Re-Electing Governor Yahaya Bello for a second term in office
Written by Ukwumonu Suleiman CEDO MEDIA NETWORK FOR GYB 2019 AND READ FROM OUR STUDIOS.
