The member representing Yagba East/West/Mopamuro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr Leke Abejide, has joined the list of contenders for the Kogi State governorship seat.
Abejide, who is contesting under the flagship of the African Democratic Congress bought his nomination form today in Abuja.
Speaking in an interview with Journalists, the lawmaker stated that after the Yoruba faction of Kogi State, should produce the next governor of the state.
Abejide, who has just won a second term ticket into the House of representatives under the platform of the ADC, noted that Okun people in other political parties are in support of his governorship ambition.
Abejide added that it was the turn of Okun people to govern the state for the first time, because the Igala and Ebira have ruled the state before now.
He said,
“Kogi State is going down the drain and if we do not take it now, it would atrophy away completely. Our people are not getting their salaries as and when due; those that are getting are getting percentages, some like 20 per cent, 15 per cent. These I want to erase and that is why I want to become governor.”
When asked about the possibility of the ADC defeating the leading contenders, All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party at the poll, Abejide said his party is popular in Kogi.
He said,
“ADC has prospects. Before, I was the only one in the state. Now we have members with me who won seats (in the House) and we won (Kogi House of) Assembly seats. Those ones that they took away by force, we would reclaim them from court.
“And then, this is not about me. It is about the people. The people are the ones pressurising me because me I didn’t want to come out. They said they see me as the only light that can help them because, now, they have tested so many people before I came into House of Reps.
“They see what I am doing as their House of Reps member, constructing roads – how many kilometres? – doing other things like providing water for them, providing electricity, giving them free education. Now, I am taking care of five local government areas. I want to do it across the 21 local government areas.”
Speaking on the Igala and Ebira dominance in Kogi, the governorship aspirant said,
“One of the reason I came out is because it is our zone that is supposed to produce the governor now. And in terms of population, we are next to Igala. Ebira are the least, but they are governor now (in person of Yahaya Bello). So, why shouldn’t we come out so we can make it? And it not only me, it is a coalition; not only ADC, even APC, part of us is PDP. I am just the symbol and we will take the state.”
Governorship election in Kogi State will hold INEC on November 11, 2023.