A Kogi-born Port Harcourt-based businessman, Alhaji Jimoh Garba, has said that the emergence of former Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello, Edward Onoja, as the number-two citizen of Kogi State, was a welcome development that would fast track the development of the state.
According to Garba, the governor’s decision to replace the impeached Deputy Governor, Elder Simon Achuba, with Onoja who is his running mate for the November 16 governorship election, was in order.
He noted that the duo of Bello and Onoja understand each other better, maintaining that they would be able to work together harmoniously to bring about the needed socio-economic transformation of Kogi State.
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Garba, who is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of JJ Digger Global Services Limited, a haulage service delivery firm, said: “I see the emergence of Edward Onoja as Kogi State Deputy Governor as a welcome development. One, reason being that Onoja and the governor have been five and six. They have been a very good peer all this while.
“And people look at it that they can blend well to give good governance in the interest of the people. They’ve been good friends. Onoja was Bello’s Chief of Staff, and you know that Chief of Staff is only given to a trustworthy person. He could not have been appointed as Chief of Staff if he is not a loyal person to the governor. Therefore, as Bello’s deputy, they will be able to work together to ensure the overall development of the state because they understand themselves so well.”
The businessman further stated that “Besides being loyal to the governor, Onoja has demonstrated his capacity and capability as a great political strategist right from the first time Bello contested for the APC governorship ticket in 2015. He has played a very prominent role in the success story of Bello’s New Direction Administration. Onoja is known to be a nice young man.
“There is one of my friends here. He is also our colleague; he finished from the University of Jos long time ago. Onoja has been his friend for a very long time and he said with the input Onoja has been making to the Bello-led government, his emergence as Bello’s running mate and now the deputy governor did not come as a surprise to him. Onoja has been a wonderful companion and partner to the governor even before now and therefore this development will be a good one for the people and the state.”
He urged Kogites to vote for APC in the governorship and Kogi West senatorial elections holding on the 16th of next month, insisting that the party has a lot to offer the state. Nigeria News
