Kogi election: Ododo victory, a done deal – Kogi Assembly Speaker

… As hundreds of NNPP supporters dump party for APC

The speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt Honourable Aliyu Umar Yusuf has assured supporters and party loyalists that the victory of the APC in the November 11 gubernatorial election was certain because the people of the state are solidly behind the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello and the developmental strides so far recorded since his assumption of office.

This is contained in a press statement signed and made available to journalists in Lokoja by the Chief Press Secretary to the speaker, Yabagi Mohammed.

The speaker stated this in his address in Wards ‘C’ and ‘D’ of Lokoja Local Government Area, at a stakeholders engagement where party executives and officials gathered to fine-tune ways of ensuring overwhelming victory for the ruling party.

Rt Honourable Umar urged the people to continue to trust their leadership, stressing that their belief in the current crops of leaders should not wane because they are committed to making sure that the Local Government gets what is due to it in the administration of Alhaji Usman Ahmed Ododo.

He mentioned that the decision of his friends, brothers and political associates to jettison their former parties to join him was one he remains grateful for and promised not to betray their trust.

The speaker stressed that it showed they were people that value relationships and friendship and are committed to the growth of Lokoja Local Government Area and the state, noting that his singular objective was to ensure overall development of the state.

Meanwhile, Rt Honourable Aliyu Umar Yusuf has also received hundreds of former supporters of the opposition New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) supporters into the ruling APC.

Leader of the decampees, Mallam Salisu Bature said their decision to dump the party was to ensure they back the new leadership headed by the speaker to ensure landslide victory for the APC in next month’s gubernatorial election in the state.

In their separate remarks, the Chairman of Lokoja Local Government Area, Hon Muhammed Dan’Asabe Muhammed, the member representing Lokoja I State Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon Bin-Ebaiya Shehu Tijjani (BEST), the APC chairman in the area, Hon Bature Maikudi, the co-DG of APC gubernatorial campaign council, Hon Suleiman Babadoko, Hon Duble Prince, and other stakeholders all restated their calls for overwhelming support for the APC and ensuring landslide victory for the APC in November