By Amuda Dan Sulaiman FAB.
The Lokoja Progressive Agenda, a social cultural organisation, has urged progressive minded Lokoja/Kogi people to support the aspiration of Rt. Hon. Ahmed Umar Imam, as candidate for the Federal Constituency in the upcoming by-election.
The group drummed the support in a statement signed by Dr Sani Usman, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Lokoja on Sunday.
Imam, a former speaker, is currently representing Lokoja 1 Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly.
He is now seeking to replace late Hon. Buba Umar Jibril who died on Thursday, March 29, 2018, as the representative of Lokoja/Kogi Federal Constituency.
The organisation expressed confidence in Imam to effectively represent the people at the National Assembly, having delivered on his mandate at the state House of Assembly.
It called on other politicians in the constituency to close rank and support the former Speaker, whom it described as an experienced, loyal and grassroots politician.
The group noted that what the federal constituency needed was a bold, fearless person to fill the big shoe left by late Hon. Umar Buba Jibril in the National Assembly (NASS).
“It is time we put aside politics of self-interest and parochial tendencies that has been the bane of politics in Lokoja/Kogi and support someone who can represent our people, rather than pretenders who seeks public office for personal benefits.
“We decide to come out this time to ensure that we don’t get anything less than the best for our people because the task of law-making at that level should not be left for neophytes,” it said.
It would be recalled that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, had recently declared the Lokoja/Kogi Federal Constituency seat vacant.
While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to fix a date for the by-election, no fewer than six aspirants have indicated interest to fill the position.
