Kogi West Senate Race: PDP Campaign Ends Without Melaye

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By Ralph Omololu Agbana.

The joint Kogi West Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Dino Campaign Organization (DMCO) electioneering, at the weekend rounded up a 14-day tour to 85 electoral wards in the zone having visited all the 20 wards in the Lokoja/Kotonkarfe Federal Constituency. The campaign was flagged off in Yagba West Local Government on January 15, 2019.

Subsequently, the team visited Yagba East, Mopamuro, Kabba-Bunu, Ijumu, Lokoja and Kogi local government areas.

The campaign team combined of the zonal executives of PDP, led by the chairman, Kogi West  PDP,  Barrister Taiwo Kola-Ojo, PDP chairmen and youth leaders in the seven local government areas and the Dino Melaye Campaign Organization  (DMCO), led by its Director General,  Chief Shola Ojo.

Also in the team were Member, House of  Representatives, Kabba/Bunu/ Ijumu federal constituency, Hon Tajudeen Yusuf who is seeking reelection as candidate of the PDP in the constituency; House of Representatives candidate of the party in Yagba federal constituency, Barrister Bola Fabola and his counterpart in Lokoja/Kotonkarfe, Barrister Shabba together with all House of Assembly candidates in the eight state constituencies in the zone.

Also in the league of Kogi West PDP campaigners were Deputy Chief of Staff (Presidency) during the Olusegun Obasanjo presidency, Chief Olusola Akanmode, former members of House of Representatives, Hon Abiodun Ojo and Hon T J Faniyi, among others.

Interestingly, Melaye, the senatorial candidate of the PDP in Kogi West zone, said to be the major sponsor of the tour, who was recently granted bail by an Abuja High Court, after several days in police custody, did not participate in the campaign.

Although the embattled senator was at a point, upon his release, expected to join the exercise, his eventual absence may not be unconnected with the bail conditions, primarily on health ground.

On the chances of Melaye winning the February 16 senatorial election, DMCO DG, Ojo said, “Right from Yagba West to Lokoja what our people are saying is even if Dino didn’t appear they’ll vote for him”.

The elaborate campaign tour of Lokoja/Kotonkarfe federal constituency regarded as the most populous electoral constituency of the there zones that constitute the three federal constituencies in the senatorial district witnessed large turnouts of jubilant party men and women, who anxiously waited for the arrival of the party officials, with drumming, singing and dancing to demonstrate their support for the PDP, Melaye, the party’s presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and other Party candidates from the federal constituency.

The Gwari and Bassa- Kwomu spokesmen in particular, revealed in Tawari village, that being the dominant population, they have not deviated from the PDP in their voting pattern, since 1999, because PDP has and would continue to remain their political preference, come rain come shine, despite its 2015 temporary defeat. They bemoaned the four years rule of the incumbent APC governments, which they summarily dismissed as  a colossal civil misfortunes to the nation.

In all the wards visited in the seven local governments in the senatorial district, first points of call, were the homes of traditional ward heads to pay homage and receive their blessings and approvals to carry on with the campaign rallies in their domains.

Most of the campaign rallies, particularly those of the hinterland, bore similarity in trends and styles, laced with roadshow, consisting of very long motorcade amidst fanfares which ushered the campaign team into township roads.

Amidst cheers of “Sai Atiku”; “Sai Dino”, “Sai team literally shut down major towns and villages throughout the period  the tour lasted.

The party received hundreds of defectors from SDP led by it’s former state chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Angulu Usman Hukuma and former chairman in Yagba West local government, Dr Jide Ikubolaje who both seized the glorious opportunities of giving their goodwill messages to the mammoth crowds in Kogi local government and Yagba West local government respectively.

Chairman, media Directorate, DMCO, Bawa Yakubu described the tour as “very successful”, saying with the outpouring of love, solidarity and support shown to the party and its candidates, including  Melaye despite his absence, the election on February 16 will be a walkover for the PDP.


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