A Kogi State governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Abubakar Ibrahim, has said there is nothing wrong for a son of an ex-governor to aspire or become a governor of the state his father governed.
Ibrahim, who is a son of a former governor Ibrahim Idris, spoke to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday after collecting his nomination and expression of interest form.
He stated that sons of former governors and even presidents in the world had been elected in the same office their fathers once occupied.
He said Kogi State had undergone both human and infrastructural decay over the last three and a half years.
According to him, there has been challenges of payment of salaries and pension.
He also said there were challenges in the education, health and agriculture sectors as well in the provision of infrastructure.
He promised to make positive impacts in the state if he became the governor.
He also stated that he was not imposed on the party.
Ibrahim said, “Honestly, for those that think I am being imposed, do I look like someone that can be imposed on people? The truth is: most of the aspirants are feeling very jittery. I have not been found wanting, I have not had any issue with anyone. And nobody can concisely say that I have done anything.
“So, my greatest crime now is being my father’s son. And when you look at it critically, even where we borrowed democracy from, George Bush Senior was the 42nd President of the United States of America. George Bush Junior was the 44th President of the United States of America. Nobody had any issue with that.”
He added, “Now let’s come back to Nigeria. Former Governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji’s son just became the Speaker of the state house of assembly We have seen situations like that in Kwara State.
“Let’s come back to Kogi State. We have found a situation where not only I being a former governor’s son running for governorship, there are two sons of former governors also running for governorship election. Nobody said anything about that. So, why is mine different? So when you zero down on everything, it just comes down to one thing: fear. Those that are saying it are afraid of my candidature. They are not on the ground.”
He also said his ambition was not a do-or-die affair, adding that the best aspirant should win the primaries.
He stated that his main concern was to have a Kogi State that worked more than the current situation.
He added that he was not opposed to a consensus candidate arrangement but saying that there was nothing wrong in holding a primary election.
