Professor Abdumumin Ajia, the governorship flagbearer for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has revealed that his transition from university teaching to active politics stems from a commitment to rescuing the nation and fostering a secure, thriving Kwara State. Kwara State is located in the western region of Nigeria.
Ajia, who serves as an Economics professor at a United States institution, made these remarks on a Wednesday during the News Keg Engagement Series hosted by the Correspondents' Chapel under the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ilorin. He explained that his political aspirations were also propelled by the necessity to bridge the divide between citizens and leadership, ensuring accessible public services and transparent governmental costs.
What are the key pillars of his governance agenda?
The NDC candidate presented a comprehensive governance blueprint centered on security, enterprise, education, infrastructure, and healthcare. Furthermore, he committed to implementing a N120,000 wage award for civil servants if elected during the 2027 general elections.
According to Ajia, this financial commitment forms a core component of his Workers and Working Families Compact, aimed at enhancing staff welfare, remuneration structures, promotions, working environments, and post-retirement packages. He noted that the initiative would rely on thorough payroll checks, salary grade assessments, engagements with labor unions, and a reliable implementation schedule.
How does the candidate plan to tackle security and enterprise?
Addressing security, Ajia characterized it as the bedrock for economic viability and communal safety, emphasizing that a protected environment remains vital for commercial activities to flourish. Regarding enterprise, he pledged to remove excessive red tape, administrative hurdles, and obstacles hindering micro-enterprises and local artisans. Additionally, he introduced plans to streamline land administration procedures to ease property acquisition.
What are his proposals for education and health?
On the education front, the opposition candidate stated that his administration would focus on guaranteeing daily school attendance for every child in Kwara, alongside enhancing teaching standards across all 16 local government areas. He also mentioned plans to set distinct minimum learning benchmarks.
Within the healthcare sector, Ajia advocated for revamping primary health facilities, attracting skilled medical professionals through competitive pay structures, and advancing toward universal health insurance coverage. He concluded by stressing the importance of public service overhauls to curb administrative delays, specifically regarding land documentation, while ensuring meritocratic employment opportunities for young professionals to foster responsive governance.