A group under the auspices of the Igala National Youth Council of Nigeria (INYCN) on Thursday, sought for the consideration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State to adopt Professor Stephen Ikani Ocheni as a consensus candidate for the party in the upcoming governorship election in the state.
The group maintained that the consensus agreement has become imperative in order to reduce unnecessary friction among gladiators of the game and to sustain the good works of the administration of Gov. Yahaya Bello.
The President of INYCN, Comrade Sam Attah Idoko made the call at a press conference held in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital on Thursday.
The youth president asserted that the government of Yahaya Bello has done much for the state and needed a successor that has the capacity, competence and inner workings of government in order to continue with the spirit of the present administration.
He said having studied the antecedents of all the aspirants, the group came to the conclusion that only Professor Ocheni possessed the needed wherewithal to sustain the developmental strides of Governor Yahaya Bello.
“We have watched with keen interest the developmental strides of the present administration of Kogi State and have the strong believe that this momentum can only be sustained by a man of knowledge, integrity, capacity and wisdom.
“Following the footprints and template of Gov. Bello in the governance of the state so far, we need a successor who has the credibility, expertise and experience to take over from Governor Bello.
“And from our research, Professor Stephen Ikani Ocheni aptly fits into the kind of leader the people deserve as the next governor of Kogi State.
“We want to state in unequivocal terms that the forthcoming All Progressives Congress APC Governorship primary elections scheduled for 14th April 2023 should adopt Professor Stephen Ikani Ocheni as a consensus candidate of the party.
” We therefore call on the APC delegates to vote for Prof. Ocheni , a former Minister of State for Labour and Productivity for his outstanding performance but in the civil, public and political offices,” the youth council leader asserts.
According to him, Professor Stephen Ocheni is a man of many credentials who has demonstrated uncommon leadership traits while in the civil public services and in the academia. He charged all party faithful to support him to emerge standard bearer of the party.
He added that the INYCN is in collaboration with many youths’ organisations across the country and will work assiduously to mobilise youths, women and eligible voters to cast their votes for him.
He disclosed that Professor Ocheni has won numerous awards and chieftaincy titles and he is ready to deploy this wealth of experience for the overall development of the state if elected governor of Kogi in the November election.
