24th June, 2019
A former president of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and ex-commissioner in Kogi State, Dr Idris Omede, is seeking the PDP ticket to contest the Nov. 16 governorship election in Kogi.
To him, education is most important, and that is what he has promised to pay attention to when and if elected.
Omede, who addressed newsmen on Sunday in Lokoja, named other sectors that would receive special attention to include health, agriculture and security during a flag-off of his campaign project: “Omede Idris Believe 2019 Project”, said that Kogi had abundant resources and had no reason to be a poor state.
He regards Kogi as a gateway to many states, and therefore, should take advantage of the steady inflow of people for the state’s economic growth.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted him as saying “People come into the state every minute. Their presence means everything we grow here will have the needed market. These are major factors that should help us to raise our internal revenue profile.
“Past governments, and even the present one, have relied on over-taxing petty traders to raise revenue. This strategy can only impoverish the poor.
“Our plan is to explore all the areas of possible economic development without exploiting anybody.
“Kogi is supposed to be a crops processing zone. When you process, you create jobs and generate enormous revenue through the various chains, but we have not taken full advantage of that.
“We hope to involve the Bank of Agriculture and Dangote Group to achieve these laudable plan. We are already making our contacts,” he said.
Omede said that his aspiration to be governor of the state was pushed by the need to close existing development gaps and add value to the foundation laid by the founding fathers of Kogi.
“We want our friends, Kogi people far and near, to give us their support and see wonders in the area of good governance that will ensure transformation from rags to riches,” Omede said.