Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Western Senatorial District of Kogi State have affirmed their resolution to stand with the party and resist the rigging and the violent plans of Governor Yahaya Bello.
Rising from a meeting held in Kabba, on Wednesday, the leaders stated that the “daylight robbery that was experienced in the re-run election for the Lokoja/ Kogi Federal constituency in August 2018 and the state assembly elections in March 2019 will not be tolerated in the November 2019 election.”
They called on all security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free and fair election and to abstain from supporting Governor Yahaya Bello in his unlawful intention to supplant the popular will in the November 16, 2019 election.
The leaders described a meeting held in Abuja between Governor Yahaya Bello and a group of individuals from the zone as another political black market transaction, in which the buyer and the seller were engaged in mutual deceit.
They said it was unconscionable for the self- acclaimed leaders to have turned themselves into players in the political transfer window, which Governor Yahaya Bello is funding with allocations meant for the payment of salaries of their kinsmen, some of whom have died as a result of the denial of their entitlements by their new found lover.
It will be recalled that a group of Kogi West elders among whom were Major- General J.O.S Oshanupin(Rtd) Colonel Segun Toba(Rtd) Mr Dan Kunle and a few others, purportedly met with Governor Yahaya Bello at the Governor’s lodge Abuja, where they promised to support him for a second term in office.
Major General David Jemibewon, who also attended the meeting was said to have been embarrassed by the presentation of those who invited him to the meeting. He has since chosen to distance himself from the alleged endorsement of Governor Yahaya Bello. To be sure he sent his wife, Mrs Modupe Jemibewon to represent him at the PDP meeting in Kabba.
Denouncing the false impression created by the group, the members sympathised with Governor Bello, who, according to them, “out of desperation to rewrite his poor performance is now clutching to straws to retain power after a disastrous first tenure.”
Wondering how a group who called itself non-partisan could be negotiating for power, the meeting described the outing of the Kogi West elders as the expedition of celebrants of naivety who were sold a dummy at a cheap price but returned home excited, that they had outsmarted the seller, stressing further, that power rotation rested on political parties.
The PDP leaders challenged the group to take the message home to the people in their communities, who have been pauperised by Governor Yahaya Bello.
They lamented the insensitivity of the group, who rather than seeking the good of their people went to negotiate for an uncertain future that they thought could be of benefit to their personal and group interests.
The PDP Kogi West meeting had in attendance Senator Dino Melaye, Chief Sam Akande, former Deputy Governor of Kogi State; Senator Tunde Ogbeha, represented by Hon Bologi; Prince Olusola Akanmode, former Deputy Chief of Staff in the Presidency; Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of PDP; Hon TJ Yusuf, Member House of Representatives and Director General of PDP Gubernatorial campaign; Hon Sam Aro, joint ticket holder with the Gubernatorial flagbearer of PDP; Dr. Stephen Olorunfemi, former commissioner for Finance; Olori Margaret Orebiyi, State Woman Leader of PDP, Mrs Modupe Jemibewon, Dr(Mrs) Grace Gunwa, Barr Kola Ojo, Zonal Chairman, Zonal party leaders, Local Government Executive Committee members, Chairmen of all the 85 wards in the District, and party supporters across Kogi West.
