The Kogi State Deputy Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) , Comr. Joel Oyibo Salifu has urged the people to choose the unity of the state over Igala agenda, which he described as divisive and retrogressive.
Salifu, who is the running mate of Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo for the November 11th governorship election, stated this while addressing supporters at his Ejule country home, I Ofu Local Government Area of the state
He noted that for a positive and fast development, the Igala people should unite and cooperate with other people of the state.
He said the recent introduction of the ‘Igala agenda’, meaning ‘only Igalas for Igala candidate’, does not sound reasonable and portends disunity and capable of dragging the area back to the medieval era of empires and kingdoms when democracy was a taboo.
Joel Oyibo Salifu is a teacher by profession, and was the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Kogi state Council when he was nominated the running mate to Ahmed Usman Ododo, the APC Governorship candidate for the governorship election.
He recalled that since the creation of the state in 1991, the people of the Eastern Senatorial district and in deed the Igalas were not marginalized, wondered the sudden apprehensions especially in this striving democracy.
The APC Governorship running mate therefore appealed to his Igala people not to allow some few power mongers to ostracize them from the comity of Kogi state and the federation at large, urged them to jettison the faulty Igala agenda for peace, unity and the progress of the state.
The Kogi APC Zonal Chairman ( East), Hon. Nasir Mohammed Alfa, urged party faithfuls from the Eastern Senatorial district of the state to brace up for a hard work to ensure the victory of the party in the area.
While commending the Governor for considering Comrade Salifu fit for the Deputy Governorship job, Hon. Alfa assured that the people of the zone will not let the party and its candidates down, also warned against violence before during and after election.
The rally was attended by prominent politicians from the zone, including Hon.David Zakariya Member Representing Idah Federal constituency at National Assembly, Yahaya Shagari APC Chairman Ofu LGA, Hon. Friday Abdul Makama, Abubakar Odoma Idah LGC Chairman and Hon. Gabriel Olofu, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry among others.
