•Dino Melaye and Atiku Abubakar
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, today in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, has described the candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 11 governorship election, Dino Melaye, as highly intelligent and patriotic and would make one of the best governors in the country if voted for.
Atiku said he has worked closely with Dino since 1999 and has found him as very reliable, diligent , intelligent and patriotic and urged Kogi people not to allow this opportunity slip by but all the people to troop out on Saturday and cast their vote for the PDP candidate, reports Daily Sun.
Atiku, who berated the Kogi State Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello for allegedly denying the PDP the use of Confluence Stadium Lokoja to conduct their campaign rally said it was time to sack the ruling APC to put an end to unfavorable policies in Kogi State.
“They denied us the use of stadium in Osun State and we later used the party office for our rally. At the end, PDP sacked them from Government house. Now they denied us the use of the Confluence Stadium Lokoja and booked all the hotel just to stop us from coming here. Despite what they did, you all still came to the party Secretariat to show solidarity and support for Senator Dino Melaye.”
According to him, the emergence of Dino Melaye as Governor will bring about good governance and development in Kogi State.
“Dino is committed, determined, courageous and well focused. He doesn’t kill people like what the present administration is doing in Kogi State. I am appealing to you to come out and vote for PDP and defend your vote,” Atiku stated.
Addressing large crowd of supporters, the PDP Governorship candidate Senator Dino Melaye promised to govern the State with the fear of God
His words, “Out of the 18 governorship candidate vying for the position of Governor, I am the most educated, experience and exposed. It is now time to put an end to percentage salaries, corruption, retrenchment, and non payment of pension in Kogi State. Every Civil Servant that was unjustly sacked by Yahaya Bello, within three months we shall reinstate them all. Don’t vote for any small political party that does not have political fallopian tube.
“I want the world to note that the present Government in Kogi blocked all the venue for us to hold this rally. Our people coming from Kogi East were stopped and are being shot by those loyal to this government. Despite what they did, our supporters still came.
In their various remarks, a former Governor of Kogi State Capt. Idris Wada said despite the numerous achievement of the PDP, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has set the state backward with poverty, weak economy and under development.
According to him, the seven and half years of the APC is a waste in Kogi State, adding that, it is time for Kogites to put an end to bad leadership.
“During my tenure, there was no percentage salaries. Salaries are paid as and when due as workers continue to smile to the bank. There was massive development during the tenure of People’s Democratic Party. But now, the reverse is the case. It is time for the People State to liberate themselves from dictatorship. They should come out and vote for Dino Melaye.”
On his part, a former lawmaker representing Kogi West Senator Tunde Ogbeha said it is time for the people to rescue Kogi State from bad governance.
Ogbeha used the opportunity to admonished the people of Kogi State not to be intimidated, assuring supporters that their security is guaranteed on election day.
He stated further that the PDP candidate will deliver for the mandate that was given in Kogi State.
Adding his voice, former National Chairman of PDP Uche Secondus appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), security agencies to conduct a free and fair election.
He said Kogi State is in dear need of repositioning, hence the need for the people to come out and vote for his party on election day.
