• Praise Tinubu’s order of credible process in Kogi, Imo, Bayelsa

Although details of the unfolding pact are yet to come out clear, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka on Saturday paid a “solidarity” visit to his African Democratic Congress (ADC) counterpart, Leke Abejide in the latter’s campaign office in Lokoja.

As expected, the “alliance” between the ADC and SDP nevertheless is widely seen in the Kogi political arena as signifying the prelude to a fierce and crucial electoral battle as the opposition seek to challenge the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state since 2015.

The surprise move involving the two opposing gubernatorial candidates has elicited fresh permutations in the social media with suggestions that the two candidates may have decided set shelve partisan differences, echoing a shared vision to thwart the continue reign of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) beyond the current tenure of Governor Yahaya Bello, ending next January.

Abejide and Ajaka, after a closed-door meeting, addressed the press during which they called for unity amongst the opposition, while emphasizing the imperatives of a collective effort to ensure a fair and seamless electoral process.

Ajaka said, “We are here to ensure that we have a free, fair and smooth election. We put our head together to check mate our common enemy, and who is our common enemy? Yahaya Bello and the Kogi APC cabal. The issue of anybody stepping down has not arisen at all. What we are talking about is how Yahaya Bello and his cabal do not continue. That is the essence of our coming together”.

Abejide, echoing Ajaka simply said “We are working together”.

Furthermore, Abejide in a terse statement on the social media, directed to his supporters, however dismissed reports that the ADC and SDP had merged forces. “We’re yet to merge forces”.

The ADC and SDP candidates aligned their objectives, affirming joint determination to dislodge the current administration.

At the joint press conference, Ajaka extolled the democratic virtues of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following his express order of transparent and credible process in the off-season elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa States.

National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu had revealed President Tinubu’s marching order during the NSA’s strategic meeting with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and heads of the national security agencies in Abuja on Friday.