Mercy JohnsonPresident Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Thursday in Abuja called for a peaceful, free and fair governorship elections in in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi States on November 11.
The president gave the charge while handing out flags of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the party’s governorship candidates in the three states. He expressed his confidence in the ruling party (APC) performing well in the upcoming elections.
The candidates who were handed the flags included Chief Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, who is running for a second term, and Alhaji Usman Ododo of Kogi State.
“I want to thank the Governor of Kogi State, Yahya Bello, who is working hard to ensure the handover to our elected candidate, Usman Ododo,” the president said as he addressed the candidates before handing out the flags to them.
“We are happy to have Hope Uzodinma, the great hope of our party and the chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum. Thank you for the good job you are doing. Timipre Sylva congratulations on what you have achieved as a former governor and former minister,” he added.
President Tinubu expressed hope for the party’s victory in the elections as he said, “We are all facing this crusade for democracy, particularly in this time of elections. It is our hope, and we have Hope Uzodinma as a candidate, that we will always come out victorious.”
He went further to appreciate the efforts of the national leadership of the party, the NWC and the chairman, describing them as “hardworking.”
After the flag presentation, the APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, addressed the State House Correspondents saying the court judgments which sacked several governors in the past since 1999 brought about off-season elections like those to be held in the three states on November 11.
“Taking you back memory lane in 1999 when democracy came back to Nigeria again, there was a general election which produced the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the governors of the states…but later on due to litigation and court processes and judgments, a new dimension was created that resulted into off-season elections,” he explained.
The Ruling Party’s National Chairman, further recognised the action of the President in supporting the candidates and making time to present flags to them despite his busy schedule.
“We visited the three states (Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi) and inaugurated the campaign councils. Today, Mr President has given his endorsements and also provided the flags to the three gubernatorial candidates,” he noted.
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