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| Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello |
Barely eleven days to the Kogi governorship election and the Kogi West Senatorial rerun, the coalition of Kogi West Senatorial candidates has endorsed Governor Yahaya Bello and his running mate, Edward Onoja.
They also said that they have stepped down for Senator Smart Adeyemi in the Kogi West Senatorial rerun scheduled to hold on the same day as the governorship election.
The candidates, including Olabode Adeyemi African Democratic Congress (ADC), Princess Roseline Ibitoye (Accord Party), Chief Samuel Atteh (PPA), Olasunkanmi Aina Olayinka (CAP), Noah John Abiodun (PPN) and Olasunkanmi Aina (PT), at a joint press conference, on Tuesday in Lokoja, said that their decision to step down was informed by current political exigencies.
They also said it was based on the needs to alter the one direction political reality of Kogi State since 1992, which has always produced successive governors from one ethnic group, and for five uninterrupted terms since the creation of the state.
They described the cling to power by one section as inequitable, unjust, unfair and demanding the concerns of all, thus the need to bury their aspirations.
They said that the election of Bello has automatically reversed the one ethnic group dominance of the governorship seat and established a process for equitable power sharing that is fostering unity, fairness and equity.
Speaking on their behalf, Olabode Adeyemi of the ADC said that having weighed the factors that will inform voting on the November 16, took a decision they consider will be best for the state.
According to him: โAs important stakeholders to the November 16 governorship and the (Kogi West) senatorial election, we have reviewed the obvious realities, appraised the political journey of the past and have resolved collectively, to defer our ambitions till future election years and support the All Progressives Congress in the elections.
โBy this decision, we have instructed our agents in all the polling units, canvassers and coordinators across board to campaign, work, mobilize and vote for all the APC candidates for the November 16th election.โ
The candidates met with the governor, who was represented by his running mate, Edward Onoja, Speaker Mathew Kolawola; the Director General Smart Adeyemi Campaign, Hon. Fancy Jimoh and others.
Onoja described the endorsement as a reflection of the thinking of the new direction of Bello, saying his re-election will be the best way to unite Kogi people.
Kolawole explained that the decision is one that will guarantee total victory for the APC.
