House of Representatives hopeful, Hon. Mabo Kassim, has called on electorates from Lokoja-Kogi Federal constituency to elect masses-oriented politician to replace late Buba Jibril in the yet-to-be-scheduled bye-election.
Hon Mabo made the call at a reception ceremony organised for the newly elected chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Lokoja local government chapter, Maikudi Bature in Lokoja yesterday.
While soliciting for their votes in the forthcoming primaries, Mabo disclosed that he has what it takes to offer quality representation.
He tasked the party to shun imposition, warning that it will have a negative effect on the party if peoples will is not allowed to prevail.
Mabo described the party as capable of winning the election only if the right processes is followed to select a candidate.
He congratulated the new chairman, saying he is confident that if he work with all but not select members of the party he will achieve the desired success.
He promised effective representation that would offer the needed democracy dividends. He added that he is the candidate to beat in the bye-election.
Delivering his speech, Bature, thanked all the party members, especially the leaders who stood behind him to ensure that he emerged as the local government chairman of the APC.
“There is no gain saying that with the faces I am seeing here today, the APC has come to stay in Lokoja local government area. I want to assure you all that I will use my office, with your cooperation, to unite our people so that together we would return our amiable and indefatigable governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello as Governor of Kogi State come 2019.
“Let me use this occasion to extend our profound appreciation to the governor for giving us Hon. Lawal Shiru as the Sole Administrator of Lokoja local government area. Within 2 years, he has turned the council area around.
“To my leader, Hon. Ibrahim Adoga, you have proven that you are a man with foresight, your concern towards our people is unparallel. You have become a role model, your efforts toward uniting this party deserve commendation.
The APC chairman appealed to all members on the need to support the present administration of governor Yahaya Bello and his policy of New Direction so that Kogi State will reach the highest pedestal of development.
In his speech, Lokoja local government Sole Administrator, Hon. Lawal Shiru, who was also the chief host, congratulated the newly elected wards and local government executives of the party.He described Maikudi Bature as a round peg in a round hole.
The Sole Administraor said that the rancour-free congresses and the emergence of a new executive committee showed that the party is determined to win all elections in 2019.
“I have no doubt that the new local government Chairman of the party, Alhaji Maikudi Bature, and his executive members will lead the party to electoral victory in 2019,” Shiru assured.
Chairman of the occasion, Senator Smart Adeyemi, urged aggrieved members to put the interest of the party and the state at heart and embrace peace, adding that: “It is God that chooses whom He will give power and he can take it from anyone.
“I am convinced that Bature will no doubt make a good chairman of our great Party, he is an astute politician that understands the local government and the party very well,” he said.
Delivering the governor’s key note address, Alhaji Ibrahim Adoga, Special Adviser to the governor on Multi-lateral said; “the party will allow a level playing ground for all members. We have vowed that there will be no imposition of candidate in any election, every member, no mater your status, will be allowed to exercise his or her democratic rights, all we are after is to come out with the best candidates that will fly the flag of the party in subsequent elections in the state.”
He appealed to aggrieved members of the party to rescind their decision to dump the party and allow for reconciliation in the overriding interest of the party.
Rather than joining any other political party where they would be treated as newcomers, Adoga appealed to those concerned to team up with the APC mainstream to build the party and put it in a good stead ahead of the 2019 general elections.
He reiterated that since the party was jointly built to attain victory in the previous general elections, the aggrieved members should reconsider their stand and not allow anything to put the chances of the party in jeopardy.
He added that the party would swing into action to reconcile the aggrieved members and bring them back to the mainstream.
The reception witnessed a large turnout of APC members from Lokoja local government area.
