…PDP deceived the people of Bassa for 13yrs – Edward Onoja
In a massive political tsunami, over 12,000 members of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dumped the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bassa local government area of Kogi state on Saturday.
The defectors were welcomed into APC by Deputy Governor Simon Achuba in a grand ceremony at Oguma.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, a former Councillor in Bassa LGA, Hon. Omale Idris, said the good leadership qualities of the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello is the reason for their decision to join APC in their numbers.
The former council legislator commended Bello for his good work and assured him of their support ahead of the 2019 gubernatorial election.
Achuba, while welcoming the defectors, said the decision to join APC by the former members of APGA and PDP was a further conviction that the New Direction government was on track and its effort in repositioning the state was being appreciated by the people.
He called on all the people in Bassa to join hands with the APC for rapid development in the area. He said no community could attract positive development without aligning and cooperating with the party in government.
He urged the people to forgive one another as conflicts, according to him, were inevitable in every human relation, while advising them to resolve their differences with maturity and maintain peace amongst themselves.
He assured that all the defectors would be given equal opportunity and treated fairly in the party’s scheme of things.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Edward Onoja, who also spoke at the occasion, described as unfortunate the underdevelopment of the area despite the community’s loyalty to previous administrations, saying, “PDP deceived the people of Bassa for 13yrs, without bringing to them any meaningful development.”
Mr. Onoja noted that the present administration in less than two years in office had awarded road projects and mobilized contractors to sites to complete those that were abandoned by the PDP.
While assuring the people that the Sheria-Oguma link bridge will soon be completed, he added that the leadership of Governor Bello since it began in January 2016 had appointed numerous sons and daughters of the local government into various offices.
He described as excellent the large number of defectors in the area and explained further that “the good God who in his wisdom made Yahaya Bello to become the governor at this time will provide resources for the execution of meaningful projects that will have direct bearing on the lives of the people.”
Photo Credits: InsideStory
