Senator Dino Daniel Melaye , candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the November 11,2023 governorship election in Kogi state has enjoined stakeholders and electorate in Kogi East to vote enmass for him as a reciprocity of the Kogi west’s massive support for candidates of the zone in previous elections.Oct
This is as he disclosed that, since the inception of the nascent democracy in 1999, his zone , Kogi west, had stood solidly behind the Eastern Zone in all the past elections as against a zone that has been voting for itself.
Dino made the appeal on Friday when he hosted stakeholders and PDP stalwarts from Ankpa Federal Constituency in his Lokoja residence, Kogi state capital.
The PDP candidate reminded the people that it was the antecedents of the Constituency’s unwavering support and dedication to the PDP that made him to appoint his deputy ,Hajia Habibat Mohammed Deen , from Ankpa Local Government Area to help galvanise maximum support for the party.
He disclosed that it was the votes from Kogi west that were the winning magic for Kogi East candidates in previous elections as against those from the Central zone who always vote for candidates of their own.
He said , the forthcoming election, PDP is a party to beat as it remained the only party that has structures across length and breadth of the state.
While calling on the people of Kogi East to adopt one member to one voter campaign and urged them to remain steadfast as the party has all it needed to swing the electorate to its fold.
He called on those who had left and are leaving the party to have a rethink as PDP was the party that launched them into Political recognition and hence, should not destroy the ladder that took them to the roof top.
He assured that the ongoing Igala agenda in the nick of time would be converted to PDP agenda as the zone owed a lot to the Western senatorial District which has stood solidly behind them in thick and thorns.
While promising to kick-start his campaign shortly from the zone, called on party leadership and members to avoid issues that will cause conflict and insecurity.
He assured that tight security would be in place through out the electioneering period., while allaying the fears of state sponsored violence before , during and after the election.
He commended the stakeholders for their commitment and patience in seeing that the PDP regains it’s winning streak, saying, the party has all it takes to win the election, if all hands are on deck
Also speaking, the Deputy Governorship candidate, Hajia Habibat Mohammed Deen thanked members for their commitment to the party and urged them to ensure that the zone produce 100% votes for the PDP as a mark of honour for her selection for number two position.
She charged the people to remain unwavering in the face of the ongoing political rigmarole and to ensure that the people are brought back to their original party, the PDP.
In a remark, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Akuh , former Deputy Speaker, Kogi state House of Assembly, and leader of Omala LGA, enjoined the Flag-bearer to ensure that personal contact with the stakeholders, members and general voters is maintained to reassure their confidence in the party.
He said the Igala agenda is real, which can be touched and felt , but , noted that with deft political campaign and People’s oriented blueprint, the Agenda would soon be in favour of the PDP , a party that had touched lives across the state.
He warned against over heating the polity through unguarded utterances and actions likely to create security breach, said, with every one playing his or her role , he is confident that the party will triumph at the end of the day.
He called on those who have jumped into the Igala Agenda movement to retrace their steps back to PDP , which , he noted was their original political constituency.
In their separate speeches, Hon.Timothy Omora, Captain Joe Agada , Hon. Isaiah Yusuf, Tony Amego , Alhaji Shittu and others appealed to the people to remain calm and to work for the success of the PDP, insisting that the umbrella is big enough to protect every member against scorching sun and heavy downpour of the APC maladministration.