There was a mild drama in Lokoja on Tuesday, when two opposition parties, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) peacefully held what could be called a joint political rally to sell their candidates in Saturday’s House of Representatives by-election for Lokoja/ Kogi federal constituency.
Kassim Mohammed Mabo is the candidate for the ADC, while Bashir Abubakar is contesting on the platform of the PDP. At Sarkin Noma in Lokoja, the campaign train of Mabo of ADC arrived earlier to address the waiting crowd, while the PDP train came to the venue later.
However, the PDP campaign train had to wait for ADC to conclude their rally before they could commence theirs. Many had thought that the presence of the two parties would spark off crisis, but the ADC campaign train led by its state Chairman, Chief Daniel Isa, went to the PDP campaign train and asked them to come over to the venue to also sell their candidate.
The PDP motorcade, conveying the former governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Musa Ahmadu, drove in and held their campaign along with the ADC peacefully. But campaign posters of ADC and PDP were seen displayed by the youth, who were chanting ADC and PDP.
Mabo promised to bring about the needed social-economic development the two local government areas through collective and participatory leadership.
He assured that the people of the area would continue to witness the continuation of landmark projects, which he said was an action plan designed by his late leader, Hon. Buba Jibril.
Hon. Mabo explained that he is determined to continue with legacy put in place by the late Rt. Hon. Umar Buba Jibril across the constituency.
While speaking to the crowd comprising of supporters of the two parties, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris described the colourful joint rally as a signal to the peaceful revolution that will bring about the defeat of APC in 2019.
The former Governor described the ADC candidate as his lovely son.
“Mabo is my son, so also Bashir. You can see how peaceful the rally of the two parties is going on, at same spot. This is a clear indication that come 2019, a peaceful revolution would take place in Kogi state.
“Come out en mass on Saturday and cast your vote so that the clueless government of APC in Kogi state can start packing out of the state,” he said.
