ADC campaign storms Okene, Ogorimagongo, seeks support for power shift, Abejide

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship campaign council in Kogi State on Sunday visited stakeholders in Ogorimagongo/Okene federal constituency, in Kogi Central Senatorial District, including monarchs, community and religious leaders.

Okene is the home of the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Ahmed Usman Ododo.

The visits were in continuation of the statewide campaign tour by the ADC governorship candidate for the November 11 election, Leke Abejide, alongside his running mate, Idris Omede and other prominent party members in Kogi Central Senatorial District.

Addressing supporters at the rally held in Okene town, Abejide recalled that he contributed to the success of the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello in the 2015 election. He said the people of Kogi West and Central have a long history of working harmoniously together since their days in the old Kwara State. He therefore pleaded with the people of the Central to support Kogi West in the actualization of power shift in 2024.

“In view of my support for your son in the past, and in view of the long years of harmonious relationship between the people of Kogi West and Kogi Central, in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice, after eight years and two terms of your son, Governor Yahaya Bello, I beg you to support power shift to Kogi West this time around so that power can go round all the three segments of the state. I beg you to vote for me on November 11. It is the turn of Kogi West to produce the governor. It is my turn”, he said.

Earlier, in Ogori, addressing some traditional chiefs at the Palace of the Uboro of Ogori, Professor Olu Akerejola, a former Director General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Chairman of the ADC campaign council, Chief Shola Ojo said the visit was to seek the blessings of the monarchs for Abejide’s governorship ambition and also to brief them about his plans for the state.

He also called on the people of Ogorimagongo for the support for the actualization of power shift to Kogi West Senatorial District, 32 years after the creation of Kogi State. “The Igala help power for 19 years. Ebira has held power for the eighth year running. The Ebira also produced Governor during our days in the old Kwara State. In all of these the area presently known now as Kogi West has aligned with and supported our Ebira brothers. This is the time for somebody from Kogi West, what is right is right, justice is justice”.

He said although Leke Abejide is not alone, as the zone also has Senator Dino Melaye of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Olayinka Braimoh of the African Alliance (AA), the team presented in Abejide the best candidate because of his unblemished records and his performance as a two-term member of House of Representatives, which he said he has surpassed his predecessors only in his first term. His performance during his first term , he stressed, served as the pathway to his reelection.

In his remarks, Abejide who, alongside his deputy and entourage worshipped at the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Diocese of Ogorimagongo, enthused that with the prayers and blessings received during the visit, and the warm reception of the Ogorimagongo people, “I can see clearly that our anticipated victory in the November 11 governorship election now stares us at the face and by the grace of God, we will get it”.

He said his knowledge of the problems of the state, which he has been able to tackled with his God given resources through his various empowerment programmes within his domain in Yagba federal Constituency. He noted that his empowerment programmes such as free WAEC fees for final year secondary schools pupils, widows empowerment and hospital bills of indigent patients started before he assumed political office. This and his numerous achievements after his election to the House of Representatives, such as construction of roada, purchase vehicles for first class, second class and third Class traditional rulers in Yagba federal Constituency, among others have prepared him for the task of replication at the state level thereby rescuing the entire state from its present state of socioeconomic dungeon.

He said his payment of WAEC fees in six years, had been extended to Kabba-Bunu-Ijumu federal constituency with the hope of further extension to 21 local government areas of the state. However, he said the Yahaya Bello administration, in a decision propelled by political expediency declared free WAEC fees for SSS3 students, starting from November, which is election month. He said he wondered why it took the Bello administration 7 years to consider payment of WAEC fees for public schools.
He described Ogori has a place rich with arable land which can be transformed into economic benefits.

“I made money from the farm, I was one of the major exporters of sesame seed in the country with partners in over 53 countries.
I came from the private sector backgrounds with mindset of entrepreneurship. My running mate, Dr Idris Omede was President, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, he was President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). This is the perfect team that the ADC has presented to Kogi people to lift the state out of dungeon”.

Other places visited were the Juma’at Mosque, Magongo, palaces of Olu Magongo of Magongo and Chairmen, Ogorimagongo Traditional Council, His Royal Highness, Oba Sam Bola Ojo, the palace of the regent of Olu of Ogori and Magongo Civil Centre, where Abejide and the campaign train addressed a mammoth crowd of supporters.

Omede at the Magongo Central Mosque reminded his Moslem brethrens that Islam preaches peace, therefore he urged them to conduct themselves peacefully before and during the election. He enjoined them to come out on election day and vote en masse for the ADC as it is the only party trusted to deliver on its campaign promises to the electorate based on the antecedents of Abejide and himself.

The monarchs in their various palaces thanks Abejide and his deputy and members of the campaign council for deeming it to visit them. The royal fathers prayed for the success of the ADC candidates at the polls. Urging peace among the political contenders, they were unanimous that the traditional institution lacked the authority to give political support, stressing that only God gives power and He gives to whom He deems fit.