No development in Kogi State under APC – Atiku

…promises revival of Ajaokuta Steel, dredging of inland dry port and youth empowerment

By Tunde Opalana

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party has castigated the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in Kogi State under Governor Yahaya Bello of not developing the state.

He said the infrastructural facilities the state boast of today were put in place by the last PDP administration which the Bello government failed to improve upon.

The former Vice President of Nigeria on Saturday, led the PDP presidential campaign train to Lokoja, Kogi State capital, in furtherance of the nationwide campaign ahead of the February 25 presidential election.

Atiku confirmed his readiness to revive and make fully operational, the Ajaokuta Steel industry to boost the nation’s economy while promising dredging of inland dry ports, not only in Lokoja but entire northern part of the country to solve marine transportation challenges.

Addressing the mammoth crowd that witnessed the PDP presidential campaign, Atiku said “If you look at Kogi state itself, since PDP stop governing Kogi State, no development has taken place in this state, everything in Kogi was built by PDP.

“APC came here to deceive you and you voted for them, you have now seen. You have now seen what APC mean, it means poverty, unemployment, insecurity, lack of development and every negative indices in human development was brought about in this country by APC, you will not vote for APC again.

“We appeal to you, we are here not to deceive you, we are men and women of integrity, if you want your next state government to benefit, you have to vote PDP in the presidential election, you will see that by the time we come to conduct the governorship election, we will take over Kogi state and make sure that we deliver good governance.”

On Ajaokuta, the presidential candidate said “I want to confirm here that if you give us your support and elect a PDP government, the nightmare of Ajaokuta will be a thing of the past. I assure you this and it is a promise I have made on behalf of PDP. “

Speaking further on how PDP will change the fortune of the state, Atiku promised that “the issue of your inland port is not only a Kogi issue, but issue of Northern Nigeria, because through the development of the port in Kogi, we also will have access to the maritime transportation in this country, so it is not a Kogi matter, it is a matter for the entire north of the country. I promise you we will implement that program.

“Let me also assure you that if you vote for PDP, there will be no more salary arrears in Kogi State, because we will support Kogi State to make sure nobody is owed salaries.

“From what I have seen from Obajana up to Lokoja, it is thousands of young men and women, we will give you jobs, if we don’t give you jobs, we will give you business to do, I promise to set aside ten billion US dollars to empower our young men and women so that they can live comfortable live.

“Also the issue of University closure where our children will be out of school for seven, eight months will be a thing of the past. Let me appeal to you, if you want all these issues to be resolved, PDP is the answer.”

In his address, Chairman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Management Council, Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State said Kogi state is one of the richest states in the country in terms of solid minerals but there is the need for a business man like Atiku that can develop and harness the resources.

He said “you need a businessman like Atiku that will give you policies that will encourage people all over the world to come and exploit, extract and bring wealth to Kogi. The only person that will do that for you is Atiku Abubakar.”

Speaking on federal road network in the state which is at the center of Nigeria, he said PDP government under Atiku, will link Kogi State with other parts of Nigeria.

“Because of the central nature of Kogi State, he has promised that he will concentrate on major road networks and if we have infrastructure, it will be easy to develop Kogi more than this,” he added.

Director General of the PDP presidential campaign and Sokoto State governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal said “Atiku Abubakar of all the leading Presidential candidates, is the most preferred and the most prepared and for you the people of Kogi, he is the most business friendly.

“He will come and complete not only the Ajaokuta in its true sense but ensure that many factories and industries come up in Kogi by providing an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, for jobs to be created, for employment to be created and for the economy of Kogi State to be rejuvenated.

“It is only Atiku that can pilot the affairs of Nigeria, come May 2023, for all of these to be achieved in Kogi, for security to be reestablished in Kogi, and for Nigeria to be repositioned for restructuring, for full recovery in every sense of it.”