I Didn’t Award Contracts To My Relations As Governor – Capt. Wada
The immediate past governor of Kogi State and a frontline governorship aspirant of Peoples Democratic party ((PDP), Captain Idris Wada has denied the insinuation that he awarded most of the contracts to his children while in office.
He said he did not, in his four years in office as governor, award a single contract to any of his children or members of his family.
Wada disclosed this while fielding questions from journalists in Lokoja at the onset of his ‘Meet-the-PDP-Delegates-Tour’ of the 21 local government areas of the state.
He said he was interested in leaving an enduring legacy of probity and accountability in governance.
He lamented that those with sinister motives went about peddling rumours that he gave exclusive privileges for his children, in terms of contracts awarded. He stated that the rumour was evil and mischievous.
The PDP governorship hopeful said that, despite the fact that his children possessed requisite qualifications to vie for contracts, he told them point blank that his administration would prefer they stayed out of the affairs of the state.
According to him, “I come from a private sector background, where consideration is given to hard work and competence. Although my children and some of my family members possessed the qualifications to bid for contracts, I told them as a matter of principle that under my watch, I will not award them any contract.
“Yes, some people may contact them to use their influence to secure certain contracts, within my government, which I think, may not have violated any laid down constitutional provision. But to the best of my knowledge, they did not even do so,” he explained.
He further maintained that, “In my four years as governor of Kogi State, I did not apply for a single portion of land. In fact, the place that I built my house at the foot of Mount Patti was given to me by a friend 10 years ago, even before I became the governor of the state.
“I was propelled by the zeal to make a difference, so I had no time for giving my family members preferential treatment.
“I am poised, more than ever, to deliver good governance to the people of Kogi State.
“There could be areas that I might have made mistakes, which was not deliberate, but such will definitely be corrected,” he added.
He noted that the monthly statutory allocations accruing to the present administration was far bigger than what obtained, during his time, yet there are no projects to show for it.
He said that despite the lean resources, his government leveraged on the multinational financial donors, who partnered with the administration on several projects that could move the state out of poverty.
He noted with regrets, the ugly incident of the 2015 governorship election that rigged him out office, saying that it robbed the state of what it would have enjoyed during his second term.
Captain Wada reminded the people of the state that in spite of the so called ghost workers, his government paid 45 months out of 47, stressing that prudence was the secret of his success story.
He added that having garnered tremendous experience during his four years in office, he is more properly positioned to bring the current woes in the state to an end.
He called on PDP delegates to give him another chance to contest the next election, hoping that he would come out victorious in the November governorship election.
He said he did not, in his four years in office as governor, award a single contract to any of his children or members of his family.
Wada disclosed this while fielding questions from journalists in Lokoja at the onset of his ‘Meet-the-PDP-Delegates-Tour’ of the 21 local government areas of the state.
He said he was interested in leaving an enduring legacy of probity and accountability in governance.
He lamented that those with sinister motives went about peddling rumours that he gave exclusive privileges for his children, in terms of contracts awarded. He stated that the rumour was evil and mischievous.
The PDP governorship hopeful said that, despite the fact that his children possessed requisite qualifications to vie for contracts, he told them point blank that his administration would prefer they stayed out of the affairs of the state.
According to him, “I come from a private sector background, where consideration is given to hard work and competence. Although my children and some of my family members possessed the qualifications to bid for contracts, I told them as a matter of principle that under my watch, I will not award them any contract.
“Yes, some people may contact them to use their influence to secure certain contracts, within my government, which I think, may not have violated any laid down constitutional provision. But to the best of my knowledge, they did not even do so,” he explained.
He further maintained that, “In my four years as governor of Kogi State, I did not apply for a single portion of land. In fact, the place that I built my house at the foot of Mount Patti was given to me by a friend 10 years ago, even before I became the governor of the state.
“I was propelled by the zeal to make a difference, so I had no time for giving my family members preferential treatment.
“I am poised, more than ever, to deliver good governance to the people of Kogi State.
“There could be areas that I might have made mistakes, which was not deliberate, but such will definitely be corrected,” he added.
He noted that the monthly statutory allocations accruing to the present administration was far bigger than what obtained, during his time, yet there are no projects to show for it.
He said that despite the lean resources, his government leveraged on the multinational financial donors, who partnered with the administration on several projects that could move the state out of poverty.
He noted with regrets, the ugly incident of the 2015 governorship election that rigged him out office, saying that it robbed the state of what it would have enjoyed during his second term.
Captain Wada reminded the people of the state that in spite of the so called ghost workers, his government paid 45 months out of 47, stressing that prudence was the secret of his success story.
He added that having garnered tremendous experience during his four years in office, he is more properly positioned to bring the current woes in the state to an end.
He called on PDP delegates to give him another chance to contest the next election, hoping that he would come out victorious in the November governorship election.
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