The electoral fortunes of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi state ahead of the November 11 governorship election got a boost with the defection of a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former deputy governor, Yomi Awoniyi to the party.
The state governor, Yahaya Bello presented the new entrant to the APC national chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Tuesday, September 12, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Addressing newsmen after a brief closed-door meeting with the chairman, Governor Bello said the defector remained a big force to reckon with considering the governorship election slated for November 11.
He said: “Today we have a big fish. Another big fish in our ocean in Kogi. We are APC and APC is Kogi. Today I come to introduce Chief Yomi Awoniyi, the former Deputy Governor of Kogi State to Captain Idris Wada.
So, he has joined us fully. And I have come to introduce him to the National Chairman and NWC at the party at the headquarters. And by the grace of God, this is a sign that the election of 11th November 2023 is a landslide victory for APC by the special grace of God.”
Asked why he joined the APC, the former deputy governor said: “Thank you for giving me this opportunity to meet the party at this level. My decision to join the APC is occasioned by the need to appreciate the giant strides that this government has started to embark upon.
It is quite clear that the next four or eight years will be a complete departure from what we have known. It is quite impressive and laudable, particularly in our state in Kogi where a lot is going on. And the future looks much brighter in the APC. That is my decision to join the APC.” he noted.
Ganduje expressed delight at the development, maintaining that the defection of Awoniyi was important to the party for the coming off-cycle Governorship election in Kogi state.
He said: “As you can see, I am smiling. So we are so happy that this big fish is finally in our ocean. And it is a good omen.
“He has come at the right time because we are gearing up for the off-cycle Governorship election in Kogi state. We believe he is changing the narrative as far as this area is concerned and the state in general. So, he is most welcome.”
