By Tanimu Nasidi.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, Alhaji Sulaiman Baba-Ali, on Saturday, stated that the party had no alternative to winning the governorship election in the state.
“This is because the party has performed creditably in the state and country,” he said.
Baba Ali made the remarks during a roundtable meeting with stakeholders of the Lokoja chapter of the APC, at his GRA residence.
The APC chieftain said he did not consider PDP as a credible alternative given its historic failure as a ruling party in Nigeria for sixteen years where Nigeria became a cesspit for corruption, looting and impunity with not even one worthwhile project to outlive those wasted years.
He said the achievements of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration and Yahaya Bello’s in Kogi state were pieces of evidence of the APC’s commitment to the development of Nigeria.
Baba-Ali who also met with aggrieved members of the party, apologized to the angry members over the unfair treatment meted to them in the past.
He called on members of the party to close ranks and ensure Governor Bello was delivered in the forthcoming governorship election.
He thanked them for keeping faith with the party despite their disaffection which showed they are true loyalists of the party, adding, “After listening to you, I really appreciate you all. We are truly sorry for what you may have gone through during the period. This meeting is the starting point for reconciliation of aggrieved members of the party,” he stressed.
The meeting, according to Baba-Ali, is part of the reconciliation process the party and him as the leader has adopted to resolve the issues in the party.
“Today’s meeting is part of my effort and other party stakeholders to unite our people ahead of November governorship election, President Buhari is interested in APC wining Kogi State come November as such we need to show commitments which can only be achieved through a united front, we must forget the past and embrace future for the development of our community,” he said.
He further explained that the meeting became necessary to bring all aggrieved members of APC together to resolve all the issues causing the crisis, adding “to build trust and confidence. We called for this meeting to talk to our aggrieved members.”
One of the aggrieved members, Alhaji Muhammed Bozy Attati, thanked Baba-Ali for his continued support for the party, saying; “if not for you, the party would have been in shambles.”
“We will deliver Bello in the forthcoming election,” Attati assured.
In his own remarks, member representing Lokoja 1 constituency, Comrade Isah Umar, urged the aggrieved members of the party to forget the past and join hands with Governor Yahaya Bello, who has done a lot to develop the state.
He added that as the state approaches the November 16 gubernatorial election, they should support the governor to defeat evil forces that want to truncate development in the state.
Umar, therefore, called on voters to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) ahead of the polls.
The Administrator of Lokoja local government area, Hon. Muhammed Dan’asabe Muhammed who was also in attendance, thanked Baba Ali for initiating what he described as historic meeting that would serve as a stepping stone to a united APC in Lokoja Local Government Area,adding that the Council behind him.
The meeting also afforded the council boss to reeled out his administration’s achievements within its hundred days in office.
The meeting was attended by Hon Isah T Umar, member representing Lokoja 1Constituency, Hon. Danasabe Muhammad, Administrator of Lokoja Local Government, Alhaji Muhammad Attati Bozy,APC chieftains from the area and a host of others.
