APC's Yahaya Bello launches his campaign for second term as Kogi State governor

KOGI State's Governor Yahaya Bello has officially launched his bid for a second term in response to the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) to hold gubernatorial elections on November 2.

 

Last week, Inec announced that it will hold governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states on Saturday November 2. In Bayelsa, Governor Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot stand again, having served for two terms but in Kogi State, Governor Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is a close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari is looking to get re-elected.

 

Highly criticised for his inability to develop infrastructure, the fact that he owes a huge backlog of salary arrears and that he lives in Abuja rather than in the state capital Lokoja, Governor Bello is certain to face a very stiff challenge. Even some APC youth groups have asked the party's national leaders to drop Governor Bello and field a different candidate if they want to win the elections.

 

Despite this, Governor has defied his critics and said he wants to stand again and yesterday, officially launched his re-election bid at Government House in Lokoja. Speaking during the inauguration of Kogi State House of Assembly Commission, Governor Bello said that following the official release of the state’s election time-table, it became necessary to make his intentions known.

 

Governor Bello added: “I would like to inform the good people of the state, the All Progressive Congress family and supporters, local government areas down to the wards and polling units, as well as various stakeholders, opinion moulders, families and friends of my interest to run for a second term in office as the executive governor of Kogi State."

 

Meanwhile, the PDP's national chairman Prince Uche Secondus, said the party would oust Governor Bello and salvage Kogi State by enthroning a people-oriented government. He added that the PDP’s winning streak in recent governorship elections in Bauchi, Imo, Rivers and Adamawa states, among other states, will be re-enacted in the forthcoming Kogi governorship election.

 

Prince Secondus said: “Our people have gone through pains, pangs, acute poverty, hunger, dehumanisation, brutalisation, job losses, untimely deaths, suicide and all sorts of anguish as a result of the misrule of the incumbent government. The people of Kogi State are, therefore, looking up to the PDP to rescue them and we cannot afford to fail them.

 

“We must, therefore, not allow anything to demoralise us, as the winning streak which our party displayed in Imo, Adamawa and Bauchi, among others, will be repeated in Kogi State by the grace of Almighty God. In this race, we must also bear in mind that we have the support of the people as Kogi State has always been home to the PDP, notwithstanding the temporary setback of the APC."

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