Thousands of supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State yesterday trooped to the streets of Ehima in Okehi local government area for a solidarity walk for all the party’s candidates from presidential to the state House of Assembly.
The supporters, who sang solidarity songs, took off from Obangede junction and ended the walk at Ikuehi, where they pledged their support for the APC government at the centre and for Governor Yahaya Bello.
They said in all the years of the existence of the state, no governor had impacted them positively on critical sectors as Governor Bello had done.
At Ikuehi, the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, .Ozigi Salami Deedat, addressed the crowd and commended them for showing love to the party. He assured them of sustained developmental projects of the Bello-led administration in the state, Kogi Central and Ihima district.
He called on the people of Ihima to vote for all the party’s candidates, from president to state assembly, noting that the tumultuous crowd had shown that the people were truly happy with the achievements of the government and not listening to concocted stories.
The Okehi council chairman, Abdulrahim Ohiare, who was present at the rally, assured the supporters of more interventions by the state government.
He urged them to come out en mass on election day and vote for APC candidates, adding that the coming of the Tinubu-Shettima presidency would usher in prosperity.
The House of Assembly member representing Okehi State Constituency, Hon Muktar Bajeh, also commended the supporters for their loyalty.
The highlight of the walk was the presentation of Hon Sadiq Abubakar Ohere for Senate; Hon Idris Ozi Shaibu for House of Representatives (Adavi/Okehi constituency) and Hassan Otokiti, House of Assembly, Okehi State Constituency.
…As PDP Supporters Defect To Ruling Party
No fewer than 2,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition parties have joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State.
The decamping ceremony which took place in Lokoja witnessed the open declaration of support for the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Yahaya Bello-led government.
At the event, a stakeholder of the party in Lokoja Ward A, Alhaji Gambo Ali expressed gratitude to the government and the leaders of the party in the area for always identifying with them.
He, however, expressed dissatisfaction in the way and manner they had been previously sidelined despite the massive votes that they gathered from Adankolo and Ward A.
Gambo said, “I want to tell you that we are not joking and we are on ground, mobilizing for the party. I am assuming that no opposition party will be able to have their way in the forthcoming elections.”
Speaking on behalf of the decampees, Aliyu Yinusa said they were willing to use more energy than they had been using for their previous party to work for the APC.
His words: “Why we are coming back to the APC is because the PDP has disappointed us and we are tired of their disappointment.”
He added that they were no longer interested in the failed promises of the opposition PDP. He further said the candidates of the party would emerge victorious at the forthcoming elections.
Prominent among the decamping members is a strong supporter of the member representing Lokoja/Koto Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Shaba Ibrahim, Mohammed Arrow, who publicly burnt his PDP membership card.
Also at the event, the chairman of Lokoja LGA, Muhammed Dansebe Mohammad, itemized the giant strides of the governor especially in the area of infrastructural development, sighting the newly built GYB Model science school and other legacy projects as an example.
While receiving the party supporters on behalf of the governor, Kogi State commissioner for Solid Minerals, Bashir Gegu, assured the new members that they would not regret their decision.
Gegu said their loyalty to the party would be rewarded in a great measure adding that the leader of the party rewarded loyalist without knowing anybody.
Bashir said, “Prior to my decamping to the APC, I was at the forefront during election but I was not remembered for anything but today, we have been rewarded for good because we have a governor that believes in the people.”
He added that “you can see all of us who decamped from the PDP to the APC, we didn’t know anybody but today we are in good places and I know that your time will come.”
The commissioner said the era of electoral violence had ended in Lokoja and in Kogi State at large. He advised that all members to shun violence and allow for free and fair elections.
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