APC screens Uzodinma, Ohiare, Sylva, others for Kogi, Bayelsa, Imo guber

elected as its next governor.

According to him, “Running for governor is not a tea party, so it wasn’t a decision that I take lightly.

“I look out at the outcome and what it takes to offer myself to run and continue on the work that the current Gov. Yahaya Bello is doing in the state.

“And I feel that this is the right time for me to go in and consolidate, because different times requires different set of skills and leadership to make progress in the life of a country, community or state,” he said.

He said Kogi is now ripe for investment since Gov. Bello had stabilised it and ensured its security and peace.

Ohiare said it was time for someone with his kind of skills and experience to come in and consolidate on Gov. Bello’s achievements in the state.

He added that he had the capacity and experience to lead the state to the next level of development, saying he was no match to other aspirants.

“I am not trying to downplay anybody’s efforts, but if you look at our profiles, the kind of leadership we need now is to move the state forward, you will know that none of them can come close to me,” he said.

Ohiare assured that if he emerges as the next Kogi governor, he would transform the state and turn it to a logistics hub.

“Kogi has certain advantages, for instance. with the Rivers Niger and Benue, it used to be a trade zone, we have plans to work with

CSO faults SGF suspension from APC

By Ochiaka Ugwu

ACivil Society Organization, Movement for the Consolidation of Democracy

(MOCODE) on Saturday raised the alarm that Uninformed and overzealous party loyalists were using their opportunistic positions to derail democracy ignorantly.

The group alleged that the purported suspension of the

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, by the Chairman of Gwadawa ward of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was an example of what this category of people were doing across the country to the detriment of Nigeria’s nascent democracy.

The Global Chairman of MOCODE, Charles Edet said this while condemning the actions taken against the SGF, by some members of the Adamawa APC.

According to Edet, “The actions of the people who purportedly suspended the SGF was an unnecessary witch-hunt and distractions on a committed public officer”.

He noted that not going to canvass for votes for APC at ward level by SGF cannot be said to be an offence, capable of warranting a the Federal Government and private sector to build an inland port. suspension.

“This inland port comes with a lot of other benefits and investments. We have a railway that runs between Itakpe and Warri.

“We want to connect it to Abuja, effectively to Kaduna and Kano and build an airport, the idea is to make Kogi a logistics hub of the country.

“Kogi can serve the Northern part of the country in terms of business and trade,” he said.

He alleged that if uninformed and overzealous party loyalists across party lines in the nation were not properly guided, they could destroy democratic principles.

According to him, though the suspension has been reversed by the NWC of APC in the State, there was need for the masterminds of the witch-hunt to be sanctioned, as a deterrent to others.

Okun people not conquered slaves, it’s our turn to rule Kogi - Sen. Smart Adeyemi

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Senator representing Kogi West in the National Assembly, and one of the aspirants in the forthcoming Kogi governorship election, Smart Adeyemi, has said that Okun people of Western zone are not conquered slaves in the State, arguing that it is their turn to govern Kogi like other zones.

Speaking yesterday after he was screened by the APC screening Committee, Adeyemi said for thirty years, the Okun people have not produced the governor of the State like others, saying it is time for Okun people.

He said “Democracy is all about the people. And I want to appeal to Governor Yahaya Bello, who tried to be a statesman in the way he has done his appointment.

“But what will define Yahaya Adoza Bello’s administration is the courage to which he eventually decides who gives his support to. You should not allow people to turn into a tribal leader.

“Okun West in the last 30 years, we have not produced a governor. And we are not conquered, we are not slaves. So we are eminently qualified to govern our state.

“Governance is not just about expenditure. It must be about wealth creation. It is when wealth is created that the security of lives and property are guaranteed. I have been exposed to the world.

“As a journalist, I have travelled to over 35 countries of the world and so structural and human development is not strange to me

“So, what is required is a man who can do the job. When I look at all the other contestants, I want to challenge them to a two-hour radio and television debate. Let them come and tell Nigerians what they can do and I will tell them why I am better than them”, he said.