The screening committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has cleared Dr Reuben Atabo, SAN, and nine others as governorship aspirants jostling for its ticket at primaries election in the contest for the number one seat of the state.
Others cleared for the April 14 race include Sen. Dino Melaye, Engr. Musa Wada, Sen Atai Aidoko Ali, Barr Mohammed Kabiru Haruna, Abayomi Awoniyi, Bolufemi Olarotimi, Abdullahi Haruna , SAN, Gideon Ojata and Idoko Kingsley Ilonah.
Until his declaration to run for the governorship position of the State, Dr Atabo was the Sole Principal, Eleojo Chambers, Abuja. He hails from the Kogi East senatorial zone in the Omala local government area of the State.
Atabo, a legal luminary had in the course of legal practice travelled to many countries of the world, including India, Singapore, Dubai, Rome, Argentina, Ethiopia, United Kingdom, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Israel, Egypt, Australia and the United States of America.
In his law practising career, he had done and won over 20 cases including unreported and reported cases in the Law Weekly Report of the Supreme court.
He had also won about 20 merit and humanitarian service awards within and outside the country.
However, before he was screened, Atabo had told stakeholders in Kogi State politics under PDP that it would give him the joy to serve the people better in a public capacity than in a private capacity as a practising senior lawyer.
In a statement made available to reporters after the stakeholders meeting held in his office, the governorship aspirant said he made a lot of consultations, appeals and persuasions to people that matter in Kogi PDP politics, who encouraged him to run the race.
According to Atabo, “I love my profession as a lawyer and I cherish it because law practising is to liberate the people from injustices and poverty. This puts joy in my heart whenever God uses me to do it. There is a time in the affairs of man that you will be called to serve society as a way of giving back to the larger society. That time is now.
“This is because I have made a lot of consultations, appeals and persuasions to the people. I can tell you that as a private legal practitioner doing private business, there is always a limit to how I can help people. I never contemplated leaving the private sector.
“I was staying in Kaduna but I discovered that it will limit my contacts and connections so I left for Abuja.
“In my consultation, I first shared with my immediate family members that I will be going for a higher calling and I sought their permission and they agreed.
“Since then I have seen the life of a public officer within the last few days. I sought the people to send me for a higher calling to serve them and humanity.
“This should be our project and not just about me alone. I want the people to accept the task of being at the forefront while I come in to help them carry the load.
“I promise to change the narrative in Kogi State, I am a contented man by the nature of my office and calling as a lawyer. But if we allow politics to be for dirty people, as they say, then low-life people will rule us.
“So I want the stakeholders to send me on the assignment into the public sector in order to serve them better” he said.
The legal Luminary said his intention to run as governor of Kogi State was in response to the sufferings of the people in the State.
The governorship aspirant tasked the PDP executives in Omala local government area to see the forthcoming governorship primaries election as a defining moment, urging them to create a level-playing field that would allow for his emergence as the candidate that is passionate about actualising the dream of an enviable Kogi State.
