Professor Aaron Enechojo Auduson is a Professor of Applied Geophysics, an entrepreneur, writer and international scholar. He is contesting for Kogi East Senatorial seat in 2027 general elections under the platform of Young Progressives Party (YPP). In this interview with NIGERIA PROJECT, the university don says he is more qualified than other contestants, and base on his experience and closeness to the electorates, victory is guaranteed.
By Chris Agada, Temitope Abayomi & John Ojochegbe
You’re coming from an academic environment which is quite different from politics; how do you think you can cope with political dynamics of Kogi State?
I have both academic and industrial experience. I’m the CEO/Principal Consultant of League Geo-Services Ltd. It is an engineering, environmental and geo-scientific company. I have been a leader both in an academic and business environment for the past 15 years. I have led university community which I can say is more difficult than the conventional society. Everybody in an academic environment especially in the university, is a brain. You don’t just dish out things – they would ask you how you arrived at that and so on. I was once a Director of General Studies in the university. Later, I became the Head of a Department – in such capacity, you’re dealing with students, staffs and the management – it’s of course, a complex system. The conventional or general society is much easier to lead as far as I’m concerned than university environment. Nigerians are very easy people to lead, if you give them the basic necessities of life. If you provide the roads, light and other basic amenities, they will take care of themselves. Nigerians are not difficult to lead; very patient and hardworking people; if one quarter of what we’re facing here happened in some other countries, it would have dire consequences.
I have the capacity and the zeal to lead people especially from my Senatorial District, because charity they say, begins at home. From my experience as an academia, entrepreneur as well as my international exposure, I can say that I have possessed the necessary experience to lead well. I have lived and studied in some of the advanced countries in the world. I was in Switzerland, Germany, Netherland, UK, Middles East (Dubai) and several other countries. I have met with a lot of people – international communities. I have related with different people, race, background; and we were able to blend and worked together. At a time, I was even appointed a leader in one of the foreign countries. With my international exposure, combine with academic as well as entrepreneurial background, I can boldly say that I’m the best man for the job.
Competing with a formidable party like the ruling party (APC) and other veteran politicians; what is your major strength?
My major strength is goodwill towards the people (the electorates). As far as I’m concerned, I’m going to the poll to win. If the people are behind you, you’ve nothing to worry. I have been in consultation with all the stakeholders in my Senatorial District – the men, women, youths and many others. The level of my acceptance is huge. I know my people and they equally know me very well. I have been actively involved in politics though not on the ballot. In 2023, I was on ground, very active; I delivered my polling unit as well as my Ward. So, we’re not new in the game. After the election, people were congratulating me as if I was the one on the ballot. I’ve been very close to the grassroots, and they love me just the way I also love them. By God’s grace, we will win. The good news is that, these days, nobody is talking about political party. What electorates are after is the personality and capacity of the candidate – they want someone that can perform, someone they can trust, someone that can take care of their welfare – it’s not the issue of political party anymore. They are after someone that can take care of their basic needs and empowerment. We’re not talking of empowerment of some few individuals, we are talking of the empowerment of the generality of our people – job creation for the youths, and general well being of our people.
How are you going to handle the issue of vote buying?
We have started educating our people on that, and we will continue to do more on that until election period. Our people are getting the orientation. Receiving 5,000, 10,000 naira, bag of salt or rice from politicians to vote for them, doesn’t make any sense. If I may ask, those things that some people collected in 2023, are they still there today? It’s like mortgaging their future and that of their children for a peanut. Governance is all about having good and experienced people. By God’s grace, I have such qualities. The issue of 5,000 0r 10,000 naira as the case maybe, wouldn’t be an issue because the electorates are becoming wise.
Your major competitor which is the candidate of the ruling party comes from your area, don’t you think it will affect your chance?
Not all. Firstly, I want to use this opportunity to congratulate my brother, the APC senatorial candidate for Kogi East, it’s a good thing that all these things are happening in our time. Two of us are from the same local government – Olamaboro; I’m very happy for that. Having said that, as far as the contest is concerned, I’m the best candidate from the East, the electorates themselves are quite aware of that and solidly behind me.
We are talking of law-making, it requires a lot of experience. Kogi East has been backward in the area of development over the years as a result of bad representation; law-making is a serious business.
My advice to my brother is that this is not his time. Thank God I’m older than him, he should be patient and let me go first and wait for his time. Though, leadership is not all about age, but at the moment, I’m more experienced than him, he should wait and let me go first.
What is your message to the electorates?
My brothers and sisters from Kogi East, I want your full support for this vision. Without your support, we wouldn’t succeed. I appreciate you for the massive support you have been giving me so far. I want us to continue on that pattern to coast home victory.
I’m going to the senate to make laws for the good of our people. I’m not going there to enrich myself or family members. I joined this race as a rescue mission. Good leadership is not a rocket science, with competent hand and god-fearing person which I represent, Kogi East will witness a massive developmental projects during my tenure.
Igala kingdom that comes 9th in the entire 200 plus tribes in Nigeria in the area of population, has remained underdevelopment due to bad leaders. It’s a pity that in Kogi East, there are no dual carriage roads, no electricity – as a matter of fact, there is nothing serious to talk about. This, to me, is an error and unacceptable.
If you are doing something in same way and there is no result, wisdom demands that you should change the strategy. Let’s join hands together to develop our place. I have gathered the requisite experience, with your support and God on our side, we will win the election.
Prof. Aaron with his nomination form
