Speaking at a news conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Lokoja, yesterday, Adeyemi debunked insinuations that the party masterminded the disruption of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election on September 3, as alleged in some quarters in the state.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Adeyemi, flanked by the state party Chairman, Abdullahi Bello and other party stalwarts, said that under Governor Yahaya Bello-led administration, there were no sponsored thugs, as youths in the state had been engaged in one form of vocation or the other.
He urged PDP to look inward for those responsible for the disruption of its primary election by checking the antecedents of its members and aspirants, reiterating that APC remained the only visible party in the state with the Bello/Onoja ticket.
He stated that the opposition party has no candidate, by reason of court cases challenging the conduct of its primary election, adding: “Musa Wada is not yet a candidate until the court cases are done with. PDP primary was inconclusive, therefore, PDP has no candidate.”
Adeyemi, who stressed that traditional rulers in Okunland in Kogi West Senatorial District had declared their support for Bello, said the governor performed better than all his predecessors, apart from the late Abubakar Audu, the first democratically elected governor of the state.
On Bello’s major achievements, he said: “The primary responsibility of any government is first and foremost, the protection of lives and property. You will not dispute the fact he fought insecurity to a standstill.”
Meanwhile, reacting to the allegations against PDP, its state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bode Ogunmola, said the party conducted its primary election that produced Wada as its governorship candidate and if anybody felt dissatisfied and went to court to challenge the emergence, that does not in any way vitiate his candidacy.
“INEC recognises the candidate that emerged from the PDP primary election and that is why somebody is in court. Until the court says otherwise, as far as we are concerned, Wada is PDP’s candidate.
“Smart (Adeyemi) does not need any legal abracadabra to know that,” he said.
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