By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
As the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Campaign Train hits Kogi East Senatorial District for the November 11, Election, Governor Yahaya Bello has called on people to vote APC for realisation of the dire developmental needs of the area.
Bello who made the call on Saturday during the APC Governorship Campaign rally at Anyigba urged the people to avoid politics of racism or ethnicity but pursue the common Igala Agenda which is development based.
The Governor said his administration met the state in shambles, largely divided along ethnic, religious and other fault lines but was able to close the gap, cement all the fault lines and have been able to deliver valid dividends of democracy.
“We believe in competence. We don’t believe in mediocrity. We don’t believe in sectionalism. And we don’t believe in who knows man”, he added.
Bello urged the people not to allow politicians with selfish interests to use the Igala Agenda to deceive them saying they should vote to competence rather mediocrity.
“Igala interest is development; Igala interest is prosperity; Igala interest is development and safety; Igala interest is economic improvement; Igala interest is employment and job creation.
“Igala interest is advancement of the cause of your people to ensure that you are more developed than where you are today” he said, urging the need for the district to be in the mainstream of national politics with APC at Federal, State and Local Government levels.
The Governor admonished the people to go all out en masse and vote APC for the state and the district to be in the mainstream of national politics with APC at Federal, State and Local Government levels.
The Director General of the Campaign Council of APC and Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shaibu Abubakar Audu urged the people to massively support and vote for the party in the election.
He said that President Ahmed Bola Tinubu was interested in the future and success of Kogi State through the development of Ajaokuta Steel complex which has massive job opportunities.
“But for us to achieve that, we must ensure that Kogi State is not handed over to a hostile government, a hostile government being all the opposition parties. We cannot afford to hand over a strategically important state such as Kogi State to another party.
“We must continue and consolidate on the good work of our governor, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, by voting massively for Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo”, he said.
Also speaking, Chief Edward David Onoja, the state Deputy Governor urged the people of Kogi East to vote for continuity and competence rather than on sentiments, adding that elections were about political parties rather than tribe, religion or region.
Chairman of APC in Kogi, Abdullahi Bello, applauded the massive turnout of the people of Kogi East and urged them to vote massively for the party and its candidate, Ahmed Usman Ododo come November 11, for a landslide victory.
Jibrin Isah Echocho, representing Kogi East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, said Governor Yahaya Bello had done 50 per cent of the campaign for the APC through his developmental strides in projects in the three Senatorial Districts of the state.
Echocho appealed to supporters to be steadfast in their stand with APC saying, “First, I want to appeal to all of us to be very passionate about this project. I know so many people who are with us in the daytime and at night they go the other way.”
The APC Governorship Candidate, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo in his Vote of Thanks appreciated the large turn of the people and implored the supporters to guard against violence and solicited more support.
“Don’t engage yourself in violence. Avoid them, and make sure you come out November 11, 2023 to vote APC. Voting APC is a vote for development. Voting APC is a vote for progress. Voting APC is a vote for unity. Voting APC, we are voting for ourselves.
He urged them to avoid other parties saying they had neither base nor structures as he asked: “I want to ask, can you build something on nothing? No. Therefore, they have no base. They have no foundation. They have no structure. Don’t be deceived”, he cautioned. (Ends)