Ibrahim Abubakar, one of the aspirants for the gubernatorial election in Kogi State, has said that he was emotionally and educationally prepared to take the state out of the “mess it is in.”
Abubakar, who is seeking the ticket of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), stated this in Lokoja during a media parley organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kogi State chapter.
He also disclosed his readiness to rule Kogi State, saying that with his educational background and him coming from a political family, he would salvage the ugly situation the state is wallowing in.
“I am very prepared educationally and emotionally. I have a sound background and coming from a political family. With equally sound educational background that I have, am fit to handle the mantle of leadership in Kogi State,” he said.
Speaking on the complex nature of Kogi State, Abubakar said that every state has peculiar complexity, adding that in Kogi State’s case is just like any other state, saying it is about harnessing the resources just like any other state in the country.
He maintained that being successful in any thing is about team work; converging the right people to do the right thing.
The aspirant, who is the son of a former governor of the state, Idris Abubakar, equally hinted that for his administration to bring development in the state, he would bring down taxes, adding that every investor looks at what will be his take home after investing.
“When you tell the investor that you will bring down taxes on condition that he would employ the indigenes, that will open door for a lot of opportunities for Kogi State,” he said.
He also stated that his vision is to make Kogi an agrarian state, adding that it is a simple basic idea. He said as an Agriculturist he would maximise his ideas, bring in machinery that would harness cashew nuts production in the state; increase labour force, which he believes will generate revenue for the state.
Speaking also on the 38 months’ salaries owed civil servants in the state by the incumbent governor, Abubakar said looking at it from both spiritual and moral points of view, his administration is going to apply team work, not government on the other side and workers on the other side.
“I cannot promise you what I cannot do. But there are things I know I will do. Every aspect of Kogi State is having issues now and that is why I offer myself to serve Kogi State,” he said.
Victoria Nnakaike, Lokoja
