Connect with us

General

Senate 2019: Kogi East Youths Reject Aidoko, Want Adoji as Successor

Published

on

By Olubori Oduntan

If information reaching us is anything to go by, it might be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than Senator Attai Aidoko returning to the National Assembly in 2019.

This is because youths in Kogi East Senatorial District, where he represents at the parliament, have rejected his re-election ambition as the 2019 general elections approach.

They condemned the social media propagandists, who they said spin lies and launder the image of Aidoko for political make over for 2019.

“Their propaganda reflects a depressed and despondent, sad, confused, and a lost generation of youths. We don’t know what we want, where we are coming from, and where we are headed.

“The Igala youths of today have failed to differentiate between their political enemies and political saviors. Our propaganda is full of illuminated sadness and intellectual poverty,” some of the youths told us anonymously.

According to them, Mr Aidoko is the longest-serving federal lawmaker from Kogi East, but ironically, “the worst amongst all, as he has serially failed us in terms of good legislation, provision of amenities through constituency projects and youth empowerment. Aidoko should be told the naked truth. He must be told that the seat of Kogi East doesn’t belong to his family neither any godfather.”

The youths revealed in separate interviews that Senator Aidoko has spent 12 years both in lower and upper chambers of the National Assembly without anything to show for it, adding that it was under his watch that Ibaji oil wells were ceded to Anambra State.

“Senator Aidoko has provided poor representation, starting from his days in the House of Representatives, where he represented Ankpa/Omala/Olamaboro Federal Constituency from 2003 to 2011 and served as Chairman, House Committee on Federal Capital Territory, and later as Chairman, Senate Committee on SEGS.

“As a Senator, he can’t point at one single thing as achievement that we can call his Constituency project.

“He is only after his personal interest and that of his godfather which is not good for our people in need of development. In fact, Aidoko is a liability on the good people of Kogi East and he has no political relevance in both the region and at the national level,” they stated.

The youths noted that Senator Aidoko hails from Ugbamaka-Igah in Olamaboro Local government and that as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) there is “no project that has come to our land but other senators buy contracts from Senator Aidoko for the interest of their constituencies and he converts the proceeds into buying exotic cars for personal use amid the untold suffering of our people.”

Senator Aidoko, they explained, is not in any way familiar with the saying that ‘charity begins at home,’ while stressing that his people have no water, no electricity, no telephone network, no schools, no single bank neither common ATM in the entire Olamaboro and “of course, no proper health care system yet, we have someone at the senate representing us.

“Aidoko that we know always visit Igala land at night and sneaks out before the crack of dawn.

“We can’t continue to wallow in this politics of stagnation where some wicked few individuals will gather together to oppose everything that is good for our land.

“Our region has suffered so much neglect despite the facts that we have several opportunities to develop, but we have been suffering so much neglect because of the attitude of some of our leaders.

“The brains of those supporting Senator Aidoko’s 3rd term are notoriously more receptive to short-term rewards.

“Some of them reveal that people without education are like weapons without bullets because they lack education and political consciousness, they can’t choose and seek their interests.

“They can’t choose their ways and directions of life. They can’t set goals for themselves and strive to achieve them. They can’t propel themselves in the right, proper, and straight direction,” they said.

The youths stressed that in 2019 ‘by God’s grace,’ Kogi East must decide their future.

“Our people must stop living like strangers and refugees in their own land. 2019 is another opportunity that we must shake off our restrained spirit of compromise and conformity.

“We must refuse and reject immediate gratification of stomach infrastructure that will prolong our suffering and servitude.

“Kogi youths must be ready to liberate themselves from the compassion, complacency, and solidarity with their oppressors.

“In 2019, we must have the right and power to end our decades of suffering by keeping our PVCs intact to vote out Senator Aidoko and all our leaders that have failed us out of office for a fresh leadership,” they said.

The youths however, urged Kogi East youths and other constituents to resolve “to rally round a common cause that will ultimately produce Dr. Victor Alewo Adoji as the next Senator “to represent us come 2019 by God’s grace.”

They stated that Victor Adoji has the requisite qualities to take development to Kogi East and that he is a man with vision and determination to get things done properly for Igala people as a senator.

Modupe Gbadeyanka is a fast-rising journalist with Business Post Nigeria. Her passion for journalism is amazing. She is willing to learn more with a view to becoming one of the best pen-pushers in Nigeria. Her role models are the duo of CNN's Richard Quest and Christiane Amanpour.

Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

General

Nigerians Can Film Police on Duty—Court Declares

Published

on

film police on duty

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, has affirmed the right of Nigerians to film personnel of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on duty.

The judgment was given by Justice H. A. Nganjiwa on Tuesday in a case filed by Mr Maxwell Uwaifo in suit number FHC/WR/CS/87/2025.

The court held that Nigerians have the constitutional right to use any device to record police officers executing their official duties in public.

It was ruled that police officers must wear visible name tags, display their force numbers, and must not harass, intimidate, arrest, or seize devices from citizens documenting their activities.

The court awarded the applicant N5 million in damages for the violation of his fundamental rights and N2 million for the cost of litigation.

Business Post reports that the respondents in the case were the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the NPF, the Police Service Commission (PSC), and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

The lawyer filed the case in accordance with Sections 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, and 41 of the Constitution of Nigeria and others.

“This judgement has significant implications for policing standards, civil liberties, and public accountability across Nigeria,” Mr Uwaifo said after the judgement.

Continue Reading

General

Lagos Consumes 30% of Total Power Off-Take in Nigeria—TCN

Published

on

TCN EKEDC Total Power Off-Take in Nigeria

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The General Manager in charge of Transmission for Lagos Region of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr Adeshina Adeonipekun, has stressed the critical role of Lagos in the national grid.

While receiving the chief executive of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Ms Wola Joseph Condotti, at his office on Monday, he said the Lagos region accounts for about 30 per cent of total power off-take in Nigeria.

He stated that TCN was implementing strategic expansion and project upgrades aimed at enhancing grid stability and operational efficiency in response to rising demand.

Mr Adeonipekun highlighted recent key milestones achieved in the region, including the commissioning of a 100MVA power transformer at the Ijora 132/33kV Transmission Substation, a 300MVA transformer at the Lekki 330/132kV Transmission Substation, and a 125MVA unit at the Agbara 132/33kV Substation, among others.

According to him, these additions have further increased the region’s installed capacity to 5,470MVA on the 132/33kV network and 4,110MVA on the 330/132kV network.

He further said that there were several ongoing rehabilitations at key substations within the region, including Amuwo GIS, Akoka 132/33kV, and Itire 132/33kV Transmission Substations, all geared towards further improving reliability, reducing system constraints, and enhancing the overall efficiency of power delivery.

In her remarks, Ms Condotti expressed appreciation for TCN’s continued partnership and support, underscoring the importance of sustained collaboration between transmission and distribution companies in building a more stable and efficient electricity transmission and supply network.

Both parties explored ways to strengthen collaboration and ensure a more stable and efficient power supply in Lagos, the nation’s commercial hub.

Continue Reading

General

Anambra to Regain Economic Strength After End to Sit-at-Home—Soludo

Published

on

soludo second term

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Governor of Anambra, Mr Chukwuma Soludo, says the years-long sit-at-home is now a thing of the past in the state as it will bring back lost economic viability to the South East state.

The governor spoke on Tuesday during his inauguration for a second term as the leader of the state, noting that security has improved in Anambra.

“The debilitating one-sit-at-home is over, and our schools, markets, businesses, and public servants are back to work. Reports say that ours is now the safest, or at least one of the safest states in Nigeria,” Mr Soludo said.

The second inauguration of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) witnessed eminent Nigerians, including ex-presidents Mr Goodluck Jonathan and Mr Olusegun Obasanjo, as well as the Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima, among others.

“I’m sure many of you flew into Anambra yesterday, being Monday. Previously, it was not possible,” he said at the Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, the state capital.

Primarily associated with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a separatist group advocating for an independent Biafran state, the sit-at-home saw millions of South-East residents remain indoors, shut their businesses, and stay off the roads on Mondays. Initially, it was declared as a weekly protest (especially on Mondays) to demand the release of IPOB leader, Mr Nnamdi Kanu, in 2021 by the Federal Government and draw attention to the separatist cause.

The cause had significant socio-economic consequences in the South-East states like Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.

However, Mr Soludo referenced several milestones, including the destruction of criminal camps and the “mass return” of Anambra indigenes during the Yuletide, as evidence of improving security in the state.

“Some 62 criminal camps have been dismantled, and 8 local governments previously under total siege have been liberated,” the governor said.

“Anambra had its best Christmas season in decades last December with a mass return and over 10,000 visitors per day to the Solution City every day until the 10th of January.”

Part of the measures to address insecurity in Anambra was the Homeland Security Law 2025, a measure the governor said contributed to the reduction in criminality.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Mr Soludo as the winner of the November 8, 2025, governorship election in Anambra State. The APGA candidate polled a total of 422,664 votes, defeating his closest rival, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Nicholas Ukachukwu, who scored 99,445 votes, while the candidate of the Young Progressives Party, Mr Paul Chukwuma, came third with 37,753 votes.

Continue Reading

Trending