The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said the unprecedented
crowd at the official flag-off of its governorship campaign in Lokoja,
Kogi State capital, last Friday, despite threats of violence by the
All Progressives Congress (APC), is a resounding declaration by the
people that nothing will stop them from kicking out Governor Yahaya
Bello out of office on November 16.
The crowd, PDP said in a statement by its National Publicity
Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, was also an unmistaken demonstration of
the fact that Kogi State remains the home of PDP, which will further
manifest in PDP’s landslide victory at the poll.
The party noted that the ‘earthshaking jubilation and ovations’ that
greeted the PDP candidate, Musa Wada, and his running mate, Hon Sam
Aro, “established the people’s confidence and preference for the PDP
and its candidate, over and above Bello, who has failed them on all
fronts.”
According to the statement, “The PDP has been made aware of the gloom,
hopelessness and dejection in the Bello camp, which is depleting by
the day, following Wada’s soaring popularity and acceptability across
the voting demography of the state.
“Bello is gradually coming to terms with the fact that he will soon
find himself standing alone to face his inevitable prize for failure
and disdain for the people of Kogi State.
“Governor Bello now knows that the people of state cannot be
intimidated by threats of violence neither can they be bought, enticed
or beguiled with filthy offers. They have since made up their minds to
repay Bello in his own coin for the pain and anguish he inflicted on
them in the last four years, and nothing can change this resolve.”
PDP said the only thing that is collectively paramount to the people
of Kogi State “is that Bello is voted out to make way for a
purposeful, people-oriented and transparent administration under
Wada.” It commended the people of the state for their unity,
resilience and courage in “the face of machinations, threats, assaults
and manipulations by the sinking Bello and the APC.”
The party also commended the patriotism of members of the APC who have
crossed over to the PDP in the last few weeks to queue behind Wada,
having realised that the liberation and repositioning of Kogi State in
the interest of the people can only be attained through the PDP and
Wada.
The party, therefore, urged the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) and security forces to resist the shenanigans of the
APC and remain on the side of truth and fairness as Kogites will never
accept any process that does not reflect their will and aspiration in
this election.
