As the campaign train of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Progressive Congress hit Mopamuro Local Government Area, Wednesday, the governorship candidate of the party, Mr. Emmanuel Enesi Ozigi pledged to work with traditional rulers in the state to ensure rapid grassroots development.
Ozigi disclosed this at the palace of the Elulu of Mopa and Chairman, Mopamuro Traditional Council, HRH Oba Julius Joledo. Ozigi said the traditional rulers will be veritable partners in his desire to make life meaningful in the rural areas if given the mandate to govern the state.
Ozigi said: "Your Royal Highness, I thank you immensely for welcoming us to Mopamuro. My government will work with royal fathers to ensure peace and security in their domains, which is a basic precondition for development.
"Our dear state is in dire need of visionary leadership at this critical juncture. Poverty is ravaging rural dwellers as their roads are bad and they have to suffer to get water and healthcare. This is unacceptable in this century. As a patriot, we cannot watch our people continue to suffer amidst the many opportunities in the land.
"I am determined to get our agricultural policies on track. We need to help our rural farmers go into commercial farming. Mopamuro Local Government Area is blessed with arable land and we shall massively invest in that.
"I am not going to be a governor that will disregard the traditional institution. I will bank on your royal advice to move the ship of the state forward".
Ozigi was received at Amuro by hundreds of youths who pledged to support the governorship candidate of the PPA.
The property guru later paid courtesy visits to political leaders in the Local Government Area, wooing them to support his governorship aspiration.
Speaking to Vanguard at the end of the tour, the PPA chairman in Mopamuro LGA, Mr. Ade Akogun said the people of Mopamuro are prepared to ensure the emergence of Ozigi as the next governor of the state. He said the PPA flagbearer is the most competent of all the candidates to move Kogi State forward.