Kogi Poll: Deputy Governor Cautions Against Violence

Ahead of the November 11, governorship election in Kogi State, the Deputy Governor, Chief Edward Onoja, has warned against the resort to violence.

He stated this while receiving a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant, Dr. Joseph Erico, who formally dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Olamaboro local government area of Kogi State.

Erico was the director of security of PDP campaign council in the last general election.

He received the former PDP member at the civic center at Okpo, headquarters of the council.

Onoja said Olamaboro since 1999 has not lost any election to the opposition party, assuring that the November 11 election will follow in that pattern.

He warned against those who would want to engage in violent activities to desist, saying the spirit of the ancestors forbade the people to use weapons against their kith and kin.

He advised supporters to engage the electorate in a peaceful manner while  wooing them to support  APC at the polls.

The deputy governor who was elated by the number of defectors, said Joseph Erico defection to APC means PDP has  totally collapsed in the area.

Onoja said he spent two years convincing Erico to join the APC.

He added that with Senator Attai Aidoko, who had earlier joined APC as well as the zone’s penchant for being in the winning party, the November 11 election is already won by APC.

“I have been messaging him (Erico) for more than two years now without success until now that he has seen the light of belonging to a ruling party.

“He is a force in the politics of Ward two in Olamaboro especially, his country home of Etutekpe Okpo.  He has not lost election in his area . He has been a thorn in our flesh and now that he is in our fold we are sure of victory of our party. Politics is local and Erico  represents  the  grassroots. With him, the consistency of Olamaboro in winning elections will be maintained.

“I Call on our compatriots to remain calm in their appeal to electorate and never to engage in acts detrimental to our collective good which is to bring development to the people.  As your son, I have brought infrastructural and human development to our people and by that I expect you to reciprocate the gesture by voting enmasse for the APC for more dividend of Democracy.

“Throughout the history of elections, Olamaboro has never been linked to any act of violence and I vehemently opposed to any one or groups intending to use violence against his or her brethren as we are one family.”