Accord Party’s candidate woos Kogi Central

…As coalition expresses worry over Ajaka’s campaign model

Ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State, candidate of the Accord Party, Admiral Jibrin Usman (retd), has assured the people of Kogi Central of his readiness to prioritise their wellbeing if elected into office.

The former Chief of Naval Staff told the large crowd who trooped out in their large numbers to receive him at the weekend in Okene that the “sufferings the people are going through are what Kogi West and East Senatorial Districts are also passing through,” noting that he would reverse the current state of infrastructure decadence across the nooks and crannies of the state if elected.

While urging the largely Ebira-populated Senatorial District to keep faith with the Accord Party, the retired Admiral said the suffering of the people would come to an end when he takes over from the outgoing All Progressives Congress-led government.

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A statement issued by the Jibrin Usman Media team and made available to our correspondent quoted the former Chief of Naval Staff as saying, “I have gone round the nooks and crannies of Kogi State and I have seen the hardship of Kogites. Hunger, poverty, thuggery and high level of infrastructural decay are the order of the day.

“Let me assure all of you that immediately you elect me as your Governor, I will quickly put measures in place that would address your sufferings and restore sanity and good governance in our state.

“Let me also assure our primary school teachers and Local Government staff across the state that when elected governor, your percentage salary and neglect from the ruling APC would become history. You will enjoy your full salary just like it is done in other sectors. We must come together as one people and fight our common enemy.

“We need to pay attention to our women. We must empower them. Women are the bedrock of every society. I will empower our mothers so that all of us can have enough to eat when you elect me your governor.

“When elected governor of Kogi, I will roll out a massive empowerment programme for our youths to reduce vices and increase responsibility among the people. We will create gainful employment for our teeming unemployed youths across the nooks and crannies of Kogi State,” he said.

Responding on behalf of the people, a community leader, Usman Ozino, told the Accord Party flagbearer that his candidacy is a piece of good news to all three Senatorial Districts in Kogi State.

While assuring him of their support, the people lauded Usman for his “Experience, capacity and wisdom to lead for a prosperous Kogi State.”

Meanwhile, the Coalition for Credible Elections has alerted the public of possible violence ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, the coordinator of the group, Isreal Abiodun, particularly mentioned Muritala Ajaka, governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party whom, it said police authorities in the state have had cause to be worried out.

The statement read in part, “We are concerned that the police in Kogi State have mentioned one of the Parties’ Governorship candidates in person of Mr Muritala Ajaka of the SDP whose actions, the authorities said, had been undermining security efforts in the state.

“The police, in a recent statement, said he had been invited on several occasions, just like other candidates, in line with investigations into allegations of violence but that he had refused to honour the invitations, yet up till now, he has not been declared wanted when we all know that he doesn’t have constitutional immunity but already acting above the law.”

Abiodun quoted the Kogi Police Command as saying, “While chairmen and candidates of the other political parties have continued to honour police invitations to discuss petitions and or allegations with the police, and other salient issues germane to peaceful campaigns, and that of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, be it emphasised here that several invitations have been extended to the SDP and ADC candidates for interaction and consultation with the police to shed light, provide explanations and give their own side of the story on Petitions written against them but to no avail.

“While these other parties have been carrying the police along in their activities, the SDP candidate has consistently and vehemently refused to honour any of police invitations for investigation, or inform the Commissioner of Police or the command while embarking on political rallies to enable the police provide adequate security coverage.”

The coalition added that Ajaka’s “Refusal to deal with the police is undermining peace in the state, has been impeding efforts to streamline and regulate political activities which in turn has greatly contributed to the pockets of political violence being witnessed in the state presently.”