By Abdul Aji.
The Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Comrade Joel Salifu, has called for solidarity within the party and support for the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in anticipation of the upcoming council election on October 19th in the state.
During his address at the grand finale of the Ofu Local Government APC ward-to-ward rally at Ugwolawo, the headquarters of the local government, the Deputy Governor emphasized that the APC Chairmanship candidates, Hon. Mohammed Lawal Musa and vice, Joy Ojali Omaga, and all the eleven ward councillorship candidates once elected, would continue the commendable work being carried out by the state governor.
He stated that the timely disbursement of salaries to civil servants and pensioners, along with the numerous ongoing projects across the state, as well as the recent approval of a 72,500 Naira minimum wage by the governor are indicators of effective governance, adding that the governor has only just begun his good works and is poised to achieve more.
Deputy Governor Joel Salifu noted that Ofu local government has been particularly favored in the current administration, citing the numerous positions allocated to the area, and urged the populace to sustain their support for the All Progressives Congress and the incumbent administration in the state.
He conveyed Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s determination to bring happiness to the people and called upon them to wholeheartedly support the government to succeed.
The Deputy Governor declared that the 2027 election in Ofu is a no-go area to other opposition parties, as key stakeholders from the opposition PDP and SDP have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Amidst the campaign, the All Progressives Congress in the local government received over 200 new members from the opposition PDP and SDP. These included the local government divisional party Chairman of PDP, Engr Gabriel Itanyi Agbada, the Organizing Secretary of the PDP, Comrade Sunday, ward Chairmen of Igo, Ogbonicha, Alloma, Ejule Allah, all former councillors of the local government under the PDP, and supporters, as well as the leader of SDP in Ofu, Hon. Kerimu Iduh, and his followers.
On behalf of the defectors, Hon. Emmanuel Emele and Hon. Karimu Iduh stated that they had switched allegiance to the ruling All Progressives Congress due to the party’s commendable initiatives and the government of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo in the state.
In his earlier remarks, the former Commissioner for Local Government And Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Sadiq Abubakar Ainoko, highlighted the heightened political interest on Ofu local government due to the numerous positions it holds. He urged the general populace to reciprocate fully to the APC and its leadership at the state level through unwavering support, while commending the defectors for their loyalty and courage in joining the APC.
Hon. Mikhail Suleiman Mohammed, the Kogi East Zonal Chairman of the APC, appealed to the residents of the local government to support Muhammed Lawal Musa and Joy Ojali Omaga for chairman and vice-chairmen, as well as all councilors, emphasizing that voting for the party would bring the fruits of democracy to the doorstep of the people.
The member representing Ofu constituency at the State House of Assembly, Hon. Amodu Shehu Seidu, expressed gratitude to the populace for their support. He noted that the party’s objective is to triumph in the 2027 election, rather than the impending council poll, viewing the council election as a litmus test for the 2027 gubernatorial election in the state. He expressed confidence in the substantial support and votes the APC will amass for the governor in 2027.
Hon. Muhammed Nasiru Alfa, the Director General of Kogi State Community Watch and Ancillary Matters, expressed gratitude to the populace for their support and urged the new members to uphold honesty and allegiance to the principles and values of the party. He predicted that with the current developments, Ofu Local Government will overwhelmingly rally behind the APC and the government of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, particularly in the 2027 election.
Before the commencement of the event, the Deputy Governor paid a royal visit to the Ejeh Ofu and Chairman Ofu Area traditional council, His Royal Highness, Chief Akwu A Obaje, at his palace in Ugwolawo. The monarch offered prayers for the success of the government of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.
Accompanying the Deputy Governor were the Kogi East Zonal Chairman of the APC, Hon. Mikhail Suleiman Mohammed, the Dekina Local Government APC Chairmanship candidate, Hon. Urah John, and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Ethics and Values, Sheikh Sani Musa, among others.
