By: Felix Ikpotor
A frontline governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Hon. Doctor Farah Dagogo has promised to turn the state into an industrial hub with huge focus and investment on job and wealth creation.
He said these are part of the cardinal programme that will guide his government after his emergence at the governorship election slated for early next year.
Dagogo stated this while responding to questions from newsmen at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The gubernatorial hopeful laughed off rumours that he has stepped down from the governorship race, dismissing it as handiwork of ‘naysayers with myopic understanding of politics’.
Farah Dagogo, who is also the member representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, said he is fully in the race and ‘100 percent fully confident of emerging as the Rivers State PDP governorship candidate in next month Party’s primaries.’
He also posited that the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as PDP Presidential candidate is already foreclosed because majority of the party members regard him ‘as the one with the wherewithal to wrestle power from the All Progressive Congress, APC and rejig the country’s failing economy. ‘
” I am fully in the race and with all sense of humility, one hundred percent fully confident of emerging as the Rivers State PDP governorship candidate in next month party’s primaries. Some naysayers with myopic understanding of politics are spreading rumours that I have stepped down from the race and the question is stepped down for whom? I am a man of integrity, courage, pedigree and capacity. I have absolute confidence in my abilities and I also come with a proven track record of performances. Rivers people know that with me as their next governor, the state will be the better for it. We are coming with a blueprint that encapsulates a massive transformation of our dear state. That is why you are seeing an exponential increase in our support base since I threw my hat in the ring.
” As part of the cardinal programme that will guide our government on assumption of office, we intend to make Rivers State an industrial hub with huge focus and investment on job and wealth creation. We will also encourage policies that will cater and address the need of our teeming younger population. We will make it a law that five percent of the state’s annual Capital Appropriation is set aside for youths with entrepreneurial skills.
” The Garden City status of Port Harcourt will be fully restored, accountability and transparency will be a part of our system as the whatever injunction preventing EFCC and the likes from looking into the finances of Rivers State will be vacated. Security votes will be for the purposes it was spelt out for with adequate security spread across the nooks and crannies of our state. Education and Health are also critical sectors that will be fully prioritized. Pensions and gratuities are statutory payments that should not be gaining the front bunners, that anomaly will be corrected.
” In thrust with our wealth creation desire, we are not insensitive of the reality that poverty is ravaging Rivers State, we would strive to ameliorate and conquer it. Given the prominence of agriculture as the leading contributor to the GDP of most state and the highest employer of labour, we shall develop policies that promote the agrarian economy, and invest massively on this sector. The Igbos and other ethic nationalities working and living in Rivers State will be fully incorporated in our scheme of things. We know what they are passing through, a stroke of cane is sufficient for the wise.
” My support for the former Vice President and Waziri Adamawa, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is unshakeable. In response to your question, let me digress a little. The two governors in the South East have thrown their weight and support for an aspirant outside the South East even though Peter Obi from that zone is in the race, what does that tell you? We have gone beyond ethnic and tribe consideration. If you asked the governors, they will justify the position they took with explanation. Majority of PDP members including my humble self are however in support of Atiku and that is what matters. Everyone will have their views but at the end of the day collated views of the majority will carry the day. Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy as PDP flagbearer is already foreclosed. Attention is now on how to wrestle power from the All Progressive Congress, APC and rejig the country’s failing economy,” he added.
