No fewer than 3, 252 members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi West Senatorial District, ahead of 2019 general elections.
Two former Kogi Commissioners; Water Resources, Mr Tunji Oshanisi, and Agriculture, Femi Abolarinwa were among the PDP starwalts that decamped from the party in the zone.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC Zonal Chairman, Mr Ropo Asagun, received the decampees at the township stadium in Kabba, Kogi west headquarters during the official flag-off of APC Zonal Rally.
Asagun lauded the decampees for their brave decision to join the ruling party, saying it was a clear indication that the APC administration had performed credibly well, both at federal and state levels.
“This defection is an indication that APC is generally accepted in Kogi west, and the state at large, which is an assurance of our party’s victory in the 2019 general elections.
“The party will not discriminate against any member whether old or new,” he said.
In his remarks, the Speaker Kogi State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Matthew Kolawole, urged the people to go and get their PVC, while cautioning the electorate not to sell their conscience.
“I urge you all to get your PVC and vote for APC, because it is only the party that can save us from the hands of looters; do not sell your conscience, your PVC is your power.
“In the last three and half years President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice have done a lot for the country what the PDP could not do for Nigerians in sixteen years.
“Today, we are endorsing President Buhari, Gov. Yahaya Bello, and all APC candidates in Kogi west at all levels for 2019 general elections. I believe that our achievements will speak for us,” Kolawole said.
NAN reports that representatives from all the three federal constituencies in Kogi west, took their turn to reaffirm their unfliching support for APC.
Mr Ishaq Ajibola, a former Managing Director of Daily Trust Newspaper, said Yagba people had benefited immensely from the State government in the areas of political appointments and execution of projects.
He enjoined the people of the district to support and vote for all the candidates of APC in order to enjoy more dividends of democracy.
In his vote of thanks, Sen. Smart Adeyemi, APC Kogi West Senatorial candidate, who spoke on behalf of all APC candidates in Kogi west, pledged that they would lead by example if given the opportunity to serve the their people.
Adeyemi reiterated that the President was doing everything possible to make sure that the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Complex commence operations to its full capacity in earnest.
He alleged that the PDP Government under Obansanjo sold Ajaokuta Steel complex, when the former Vice President and PDP candidate in the 2019 Presidential election, Atiku Abubarkar, was the Chairman of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE).
(NAN)
