‘I’m In Kogi Guber Race To Redefine Governance’

Senator Nicholas Ugbane a governorship aspirant on the platform of the APC in the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi State recently had an altercation with his former boss Prince Abubakar Audu. He told journalists why he disagreed with the former governor.

Why did you stormed out of the APC rally? I came to Anyigba because the State Party chairman invited me as a bonafide member of APC to join him to welcome a number of decampees in to the party. The party as a family in order not to demonstrate any form of hostility I had to agree to come and welcome the decampees into our party. Surprisingly when I got to the platform what I saw was a different thing it turned out to be a political rally for my former boss, Prince Abubakar Audu.

That was not what I expected and that was why I did not stay till the end. In developed political system, an aspirant can invite another aspirant to come and listen to what he wants to say. You said Audu is not the messiah Kogi want, are you the messiah? The only Messiah I know as a Christian is Jesus Christ. I never know it was an avenue for Audu to say he is the Messiah of Kogi State. I am not a messiah. I have served under him as commissioner in four different ministries I know the topography of the State very well.

I know the feelings of the civil servants. I know the achievers because I have interacted with them very well. When I was commissioner I established the Kogi State University I knew the impact I made also when I was the commissioner for commerce and industry during which the Obajana Cement Factory was consummated and we had to go through the various processes. I was once a commissioner in charge of Agriculture I knew the problems of our farmers.

I was also a commissioner for youths and Sports. Within four years I was commissioner in four different ministries which gave me diversified experience. I am in this race not because I am from Dekina Local Government but because I have the pedigree. I have the experience, capacity, exposure and the vision. That is why I am in the race to govern the people because I know their problems. I was a senator for eight years and during that period I attracted a lot of projects to the State.

I did not feel sentimental or selfish to attract projects only to Kogi East like the Solar street lights I gave to council areas in Kogi East. I also gave to many Local Governments in the Central and West. That was the time I started thinking about the State and it’s corporate entity. We need a leader who will act as a basket to weave the various ethnic interests together, a leader that would bring the various ethnic groups together, a leader that would be fair to all parts of the State and a leader who will not act as winner takes it all. That is the kind of leader I want to be and that is the leadership I am going to bring to bare in Kogi State.

I want every part of Kogi State to see me as their own, whether Okun, Ibira, Igala, Kotonkarfi Karfe wherever you come from I want to belong to all. I want to serve everybody. That is the new idea I have and that is why I am asking Kogi people to give me a chance. What were your expectations at the rally? My expectation was the reception of the decampees. But rather it became a platform for campaign by a particular aspirant. I was there purely because of the interest of the party not to attend anybody’s political rally.