By Yabagi Mohammad.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has paid an appreciation visit to the people of Eastern Senatorial District to thank them for the overwhelming support the party enjoyed during this year’s general election in the country.
The occasion saw several party bigwigs, including all elected legislators in attendance to pay appreciation to the people for the support they gave them at the polls.
Senator-elect for the area, Alhaji Jibrin Isah Echocho, in a remark, promised to work closely with other elected representatives so they could synergise to fulfill their campaign promises.
“We owe you as elected representatives to fight for what is rightly yours. I promise you that we will work together with government at all levels to ensure we deliver dividends of democracy to all parts of Igalaland.”
He described Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello as a detribalised leader, who has demonstrated commitment to equitably distributing the resources of the state and righting past political wrongs in many fronts.
Alhaji Jibrin, who noted the solidarity and commitment with which the Governor stood by him and other APC candidates in all elections during this year’s national polls, ascribed their victories to his determination to seeing they succeed and said November 2 guber poll in Kogi State was time for them to reciprocate.
He maintained that some people of fellow Igala ethnic stock had in the past betrayed him politically despite dealing with them with sincerity of heart, and that it took the grace of God and Governor Bello to redeem him.
The Senator-elect called on his kinsmen not to accept deceptive Abuja based politicians who specialised in using ethnic sentiments to goad the people, saying Governor has shown capacity to uniting the state by attracting development to Igalaland as has never been witnessed before in the history of Kogi State.
He urged them to remain steadfast in their support for Governor Bello and not be moved by rumours and propaganda being peddled by the opposition, and assured them the Governor would get the APC ticket and contest under the party’s platform.
Speaking, the Chief of Staff to the state governor, Hon Edward Onoja expressed appreciation to the people for their overwhelming support for the party in the last general election, and assured them of government commitment to sighting projects that would make life better for the citizens.
Hon Onoja emphasised that the land had never had it so good despite having had their sons occupying the seat of Kogi State government for close to twenty years of the twenty seven years old state.
The chief of staff gave example of construction of age long road projects the people had been clamouring for, including the Ankpa Township road, the Ibana-Okpo-Ogugu-Ette road, the Umomi-Idah road among others all meant to bring development to the senatorial district as clear demonstration of Governor Bello’s intention for Kogi State and the area in particular.
He also mentioned several water projects across Igalaland, rural electrification projects and setting aside of funds in the 2019 budget by the Yahaya Bello administration for lighting of the entire Igalaland.
The state party chairman, Hon Abdullahi Bello and other elected officials for both the state and National Assembly also lent their voices in saying ‘thank you’ and assured of their commitment to working assiduously to attract dividends of democracy to the people.
The visit took the entourage to political headquarters of the three Federal Constituencies including Idah, Ankpa and Dekina Local Government Areas.
