The Candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in the November 11 Kogi Governorship election, Sam Omale, has lamented on the growing hardship in the Country, insisting that fraudulent politicians can no longer buy electorates to win elections.
Omale disclosed this on Thursday in Lokoja while fielding questions from journalists.
The Governorship candidate who maintained that the era of money politics is over said electorates should look beyond the ethnic and religious lines and vote for candidates who are competent and ready to serve the people of Kogi State.
“Money is the thing that has brought us to where we are today. It has never worked. When politicians give you money, they have bought you. You have no right to challenge them when they are in power. People should realize that money politics is temporary and it does not translate to development. Who are this people who are taking this money?
“The money does not go to the grassroots or people who are voting. If you give money out, you are selling your future. I came in purely to change the narrative. This money they are giving you is stolen money. It is not their money. They didn’t work for it. It is the task payer’s money. They are using it to buy voters, which is so ridiculous. People should wake up and endure and say they are going to bed without food. We have lacked many things before; in my place, we were told that hunger does not kill.
“We have only less than fifty-something days to endure hunger we have been enduring for 32 years, and say no I won’t take money. I will be hungry for the next 50 days and I will be liberated. Let your votes not be determined by money”.
While noting that, the people of Kogi State deserves a leader who will attract meaningful development in the state, the YPP candidate said those drumming the embers of ethnic politics are anti-people.
Explaining further, Omale said, “The reality on the ground is that people are frustrated. People are hungry and dying. People no longer do parties. Parties have not solved our problem in Kogi State for 32 years. It is not just one government. Parties have been relegated to the background. The Kogites that I interact with are looking for capacity.
“They are looking for someone with the definitive, actionable policies that can help them from where they are now to where they will have life. There is no life in Kogi State. People are dying at very young age. People are suffering in the midst of abundance. Anybody who is thinking of party will be left behind.
“No candidate has been endorsed. There are many endorsements out there. It is not even correct to say somebody has been endorsed. The committees that have been endorsing people are procured. So if I buy you as a committee, you will endorse me. Go and read; there are many fake endorsements out there. It is for the highest bidder.
“I will be belittling myself if I come in as an ethnic leader. I want to be the Governor of Kogites. There are no Igala, Okun, or Ebira Kogites, we are all Kogites. If I come in, they are my people. That is what is killing us. Politics based on ethnicity. This primordial issues of ethnicity and religion is third world mentality. I am not going to play it”.
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