Lokoja – A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, Idris Asiwaju Ashiru, says he is counting on his goodwill,love of the people and his long years of service to God and humanity to emerge winner in the party’s governorship primary election slated for April 14.
Ashiru who stated this while featuring on a media parley organised by the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) said that this is only hope as no amount of money can buy the conscience of the delegates that will decide his fate and that of other aspirants.
Mr Ashiru (left) speaking st the media parley. With him is the Chairman of the state Council of NUJ, Adeiza Momojimoh.
Ashiru is the state’s immediate past Commissioner for finance, budget and economic planning.
According to him, the delegates to the governorship primary election are men of honour and integrity who are desirous of continuation positive change the state is witnessing under Governor Yahaya Bello.
“I hope our honourable delegates will give me opportunity to serve our state in higher capacity and i will make them and the state proud and happy if I am elected as candidate based on merit, exposure to governance and the experience I have garnered under purposeful leadership of Governor Yahaya Bello whose legacies I intend to build on tenaciously.
“If elected Governor of Kogi State, my administration will build on existing development programmes in the state, to actualize the economic vision of Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration I had been part of since its inception, having served meritoriously for eight years,” the aspirant said.
Speaking on Monday as a guest at Media Parley, Ashiru, said he had acquired relevant leadership skills and cognate experience in governance more than any of his competitors as his antecedents and leadership attributes in the course of service to the state in different capacities, are well known to the people of Kogi State.
“Based on exposure and experience, I’m the most qualified to be Governor of Kogi State, having had the privilege of working with Governor Bello to develop the state thirty two years development plan on the basis of which the state recorded legacy nfrastructural Projects in critical sectors of the state’s economy, and the projects are verifiable and tangible to Kogi State citizens.
“My administration will be a continuation of Governor Bello’s administration because I have contributed my ideas to the running and success story of the state economic team led by our dynamic and progressive Governor Bello whose selfless spirit of commitment to incisive development policies and governance, has re-defined political leadership in the state.
“I have worked on the state economic council and represented the state Governor on the national economic council as well as participated in international economic engagements on behalf of the state in the US, China and Dubai.
“I will also use my professional skills and good understanding of the economy of our state to reduce cost of governance and institutionalise meritocracy in governance and entrench merit system in our public service.
“Kogi State will experience more developments that would be products of Governor Bello’s current 32 years state development plan now on course.
“Due to the efficiency, accountability and transparency unit in the ministry of finance, budget and Economic Planning, under my watch, the state government secured a grant of $5million from the World Bank for specific projects that have been successfully executed to the glory of God and humanity,” he explained.
Ashiru, identified attitudinal change and determination of citizens to achieve excellence in governance as the panacea for sustainable development and Economic prosperity of the state, where inputs of development stakeholders matter. (vitalnewsngr.com)
