I recently completed my tour of the twenty-one local government areas of Kogi state with a stop in Lokoja, the state capital. From the East to the West through the Central, I discovered the common denominator that binds our people is their overwhelming desire for a positive change through a democratic process. I discovered that the challenges of governance in the state are burdened with a triple yoke. First is the responsibility of re-building and consolidating mutual trust among the various ethnic groups after a prolong period of arbitrariness and mutual suspicions; secondly is to solve the burden imposed by unemployment worsened by hopelessness; and thirdly is to satisfy the yearnings of an increasing population that is clamoring for material dividends of democracy to be delivered here and now. This triple burden defines, in my view, the central, problematic areas of today’s Kogi state. This is no doubt a daunting combination, requiring titanic energies and unusual creativity. While I accord the highest courtesy and consideration to all aspirants in Kogi project, I think Dr. Yaqeen A. Habeeb stands unique in terms of exposure, probity, protocol, experience, broad-mindedness, compassion and temperament. He stands unique as the most trained and tested at all relevant levels of service. His candidate will earn the respect and trust of all and will best able to serve the needs and aspirations of Kogites at this material time. In view of this recognition, I therefore plead with our compatriots especially those who control and influence public opinion to adopt a more contextual approach in their assessment of specific aspirant so we can begin to engage our reality at the level of our ideas. May the chain of development and progress never end with Kogi State. Amen and amen.
- Ahmed A. Zik-Rullahi.
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