Dr Oluwayomi David Atte, Commissioner for Education and Sole Administrator
of the State Water Corporation in the old Kwara State, has said all is now set
for swearing in of Kogi governor elect, Yahaya Bello.
The Kogi-born former lecturer, in an interview with Vanguard explained why
he accepted to serve in the transition committee.
“We have a State which has been so mismanaged by previous
administrations that one can describe Kogi as a “failed State”.
“Any new and serious minded administration needs to do a fundamental
appraisal of where we are and introduce radical and fundamental policy,
administrative and developmental programmes to get the State going on a
fresh course. Remember, you cannot continue to do the same thing and
expect a different result.
“With the foregoing, it will be irresponsible of me to refuse to contribute my
considerable experience and competences to that process irrespective of
political considerations. It is the right and noble thing to do.
“The same government that couldn’t pay wages to their workers is reported
to have spent about two billion naira (N2b) in the last elections to try and
get re-elected. People who understand that God will hold them accountable
for their actions cannot do that. “Whatever the Governor-Elect plans to do to ease the pains of the people and advance their wellbeing has my full support.
This the second reason for accepting to serve in the Transition Committee.”
Asked why he is opposing his Okun kinsman, Hon. James Faleke, who is
struggling to claim his mandate at the Election Tribunal, Atte responded
thus: “The Honourable Member of the House of Representatives, representing
a constituency in Lagos State came into the consciousness of Kogi people
when Prince Abubakar Audu selected him as his running mate for the last
gubernatorial elections. Until then, he was practically unknown in Kogi
State.”
“I can also testify that he was completely unknown in all the struggles for a
better Okun in the last 30 years. He creditably contributed his God-given
talents to developing Lagos State and I believe Lagos State owes him a debt
of gratitude for this.
“So at the time he was selected by Prince Abubakar as running mate in Kogi
State, he was a registered voter in Lagos State and was legally and validly
representing a Lagos State constituency in the House of Representatives.
“At the very time of his selection as running mate in Kogi State, was he
actually eligible to be so selected? That is for the law to decide but for me
the fact that he was Okun born is not enough to assure me to put the future
of the people in his hands.
“I do not mean he cannot represent Okun. What I am saying is that having
not been involved, knowing little of the situation in Kogi State over the last
25 years and having been selected by late Prince Abubakar without any
consultation with Okun, he did not represent the soul of Okun struggle and
aspirations since state creation.”


http://dailypost.ng/2016/01/19/we-didnt-know-faleke-in-kogi-until-audu-selected-him-dr-atte/