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After failed presidential bids, Utomi now goes for governorship post

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After failed presidential bids, Utomi now goes for governorship post

Apparently not ready to make another futile attempt eyeing the seat of presidency, the renowned political economist, Professor Pat Utomi, is now aspiring for a lower political position.

The former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is now gunning for the governorship position of Delta State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He has in turn assured that four years is enough for him to put up a master plan that will fix and transform the oil-rich state to the envy of others in Nigeria if given a chance.

Utomi, who understands that coming from the same zone, Delta North, as the incumbent governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, is a disadvantage to his candidature, as the people may not vote for him since doing that could lead to the north zone staying in power beyond eight years, said he will be satisfied to serve only one term of four years should he be elected in 2019.

Utomi stated this when he led members of the Pat Utomi Support Hub (PUSH 2019) on a consultative visit to leaders and members of Ijaw APC in Delta at the home of the former Acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Pastor Power Aginighan in Udu Council area of the state.

“The development process is such that if you get it right, you get ownership of it and people own the process. Two years is enough to make it irreversible. If it belongs to the people, nobody will be able to take it and that is what is important.

“There are a number of cities that are famous in the world for unbelievable development. When I first passed through Dubai several years ago, it was desert village, but today, the progress happened so fast that it is not reversible. Singapore was just a fishing village that was nowhere near Burutu and today, it is the highest in per capita income in the world.

“My political life is about ideas, commitment towards serving the people with passion because anything we can dream, we can make up. It’s the absence of a clear dream and passionate commitment that has kept us back. People who are not as smart as us have made so much progress. So, what we need is smart political leaders and this kind of engagement provides us such opportunity for that,” he said.

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Utomi, who claimed that current the APC crisis in Delta is being over-exaggerated, said he was sure the issues of discord would soon be addressed and that he was going to wrest power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government of Okowa.

Prof Utomi is not the first Nigeria politician who had after taking a shot at becoming the president of Nigeria later decided to go for a lower position.

The incumbent governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha one of the notable politicians that readily comes to mind as one of those that have been on the path Utomi is currently walking.

 

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