In this interview with Chamba Simeh, Comrade Sheriff Kachinama, the Coordinator, Kogi Youth Arise proffers solutions to the leadership problem of Kogi state, and the factors hindering the growth and development of the state. He also speaks on the forthcoming governorship election in the state slated for November 2, 2019, saying Professor Saidu Onalo Mohammed is his preferred candidate among the gladiators jostling for the coveted seat.
Who do you think by all reckoning should be the governor Kogi state needs now?
This is a very good question and one that puts a man’s patriotic credentials to test. One has always known that the only place I can call home is Kogi state. The gladiators seeking to be the governor of this state are all my bosses and they are all qualified to be governor of this state. But if you ask me the qualities I consider as a yardstick to come to a choice of an individual as the best among the gladiators jostling to be governor of this state, I would state as follows: the ability to fight the symmetric and asymmetric warfare of our people, the ability to build a government of laws and not of men, detachment from any perceived or real political godfather in the state and beyond, the ability to rebuild the foundation for the state’s development that has been eroded and bastardised, self-discipline, experience, ability to build bridges of unity, the ability to combat what I called quarterly capitalism as being practiced in our state today. The ideal candidate should also have the ability to create jobs for the people, the ability to create a government of inclusion rather than exclusion, a man that would stay true to the state’s blue print of development no matter the pressures, the ability to change the state’s leadership recruitment process and spread the message of change through exemplary leadership; a man endowed with wealth of experience and exposure, and most importantly, the ability of reaching out and working with all in order to maximise development and providing the best leadership possible. These are some of my requirements in choosing the best candidate for the job of governing Kogi state.
Who did you think possesses these qualities?
With due respect to all of the gladiators, I believe Professor Saidu Onalo Mohammed a former Director General of NASRDA is my best man to be the next governor of the state. Let’s face it. I have little time for semantics. This erudite scholar has pragmatic programmes and blueprint for the development of the state. He has said if elected governor of Kogi state, he would set up a citizen engagement portal, where all issues of concern will be popped out and escalated to the governor’s office and responses will be directly given to them because government should be about the people.
Secondly, our budgeting system and implementation have been beclouded in secrecy by previous administrations in the state, but Mohammed has as a cardinal programme the implementation of an open budgeting system of a quarterly budget review whereby the government becomes answerable and accountable and we see the whole numbers that come out from our budget estimates on a quarterly basis. Kogi people, these are the reasons our state’s progress, development and growth is being retarded. We must deal with this by making an immediate choice to depart from the past systematically and pragmatically face the future with this man who has come to fix the missing links to our development.
Do you really trust Professor Saidu Onalo Mohammed?
Yes. His credentials and achievements in the public sector and our educational sector are there for all to see. Most importantly, he is a Kogi indigene that put the Nigerian space industry where it is today, among the best in Africa. He will create an environment where all innovative ideas will come into fruition in our state speedily. This man has the ability to look at all Kogites and say that he is in charge and that the buck stops on his table.
What of the godfathers. Will they allow him a free hand to work?
He has consistently denied having any godfather insisting that the mass of the people as his godfather. I have never heard of him being linked to any godfather. I can assure you that from my research and findings about his personal life, he is in charge and always his own man.
Professor Mohammed is the man that can replicate the economic and infrastructural development witnessed in the state during the administration of Prince Abubakar Audu of blessed memory. With his impeccable credentials, competence and the failures of the incumbent governor, Mohammed is the man for the job. He is a technocrat, astute manager and administrator. Recall how he singlehandedly took the NASDRA to enviable heights. Abubakar Audu laid the foundation for Kogi’s infrastructural development, Prof Mohammed, with his experience and expertise in the management of men and resources, will take Kogi to the next level by raising its economic and investment profile.
What is the main problem of Kogi state?
Leadership, leadership and leadership. The principal aim for which some people seek leadership in Kogi state is for rent seeking purposes. The nescient Kogi people have for so long been deluded and deprived of decent lifestyle and have frequently been inflicted with five-star impecuniosities by a chain of disastrous leadership that has held the state hostage for a sustain period of twenty year. Our state needs a new type of politics that will result in a new type of leadership recruitment process in which the basis of leadership attainment is competence. Our problem is basically that of leadership.
What do you think Mohammed will do differently?
He will translate the dreams of our founding fathers into reality and build a state which every Kogite will be proud of. He is going to be a governor knowing and recognising all the time that bestowing on him on that seat is an honour of a life time when he implements faithfully his plans for the people. His goals will be a better Kogi state and to this objective he will dedicate his time to serve the people. Mohammed’s plans are devoid of personal interest. He will be a pro-people governor who will always put together a corps of dedicated and committed Kogi professionals to help put their minds and ideas together for the good of the state. Out of this collaborative spirit will be a plan for economic development that will improve the quality of life of the people generally. He will trust in the wisdom and will of our people. He will be a democrat in the true sense of the word as such he will continually search for what is good and right for his people. This is because what is at stake is the future of the people of the state and how we can maximise our collective destiny. These are some of the differences he will bring the administration of Kogi state.
We are seeing people like you on a daily basis endorsing him. What is it in the power of his endorsements?
Professor Mohammed is not yet a sitting governor that one can say people are endorsing him because of patronage. The beauty of his endorsements across all strata of the state today is because of what he has to show including his excellent achievements in life. Without a dissenting voice I ask all Kogites to follow suit in his endorsement.
What do you think as governor, Professor Mohammed will represent?
He will as governor represent forward looking governance which Kogi state needs at this time to develop. The range of his vision for the state leaves no room for underdevelopment in any sector of the state whether it is lighting up the state, building roads, industries, powerful governmental institutions, fighting corruption, etc. He shall always discuss his random thoughts about our state with the citizen active participation before implementation of agreed programmes in what I termed as collective governance.
Kogi state has endured through the painful sacrifice of our people. Our state has not shown any sign of reaching its peak or positive growth and development. The state needs a leadership that will translate its dreams into reality; let’s not pretend about it, Professor Saidu Onalo Mohammed will.
What is the key to Kogi’s growth and development?
The promotion of inclusive governance is key to inclusive growth. This inclusive governance mechanism has the potential to drive growth at the grassroots. This is what the state needs now. Therefore, we should continue to work for good governance, recognising the fact that development takes time. It will take time but we should all believe with the think it, plan it and act it philosophy of our incoming governor and with this development in all its physicality we will achieve in a short time.
The difference between the thinking of policies, the planning time, the execution and implementation time demanded by the populace is what makes people cry. Professor Saidu Mohammed is ready to start from day one. He has the plans. Mohammed will hopefully focus on remodeling Kogi state and make it a model state in the country. He will show his peers that a well rounded government is an expression of well rounded thinking, and he will demonstrate the possibilities of political governance in a country that needs models of creative thinking in high political offices. As the November 2, 2019, governorship election in Kogi state approaches, it is foreseeable that this candidate will enjoy more endorsements.
