The Kogi State Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the November 11 election, Dino Melaye, has called on voters in the state not to allow themselves to be intimidated by the antics of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress.
Melaye gave the charge on Wednesday after a meeting of Kogi PDP stakeholders from the three Senatorial Districts of the state, with the members of the National Working Committee.
He said, “My charge to the people of Kogi State is that they should not be Intimidated by the APC. The threat, violence, and humiliation by the APC should not deter them from exercising their democratic rights. I want to assure you that we will protect our people.
“The PDP is going to win the election in Kogi State because we have never had it so bad in the history of the state. Our people are impoverished, salaries have not been paid, pensions have not been paid, gratuities have not been paid. The health sector is non-existent. In fact, all the general hospitals in the state are mere consulting clinics.
“Education has gone moribund and this is what the PDP is coming to ameliorate and palliate. I want to assure you that by the grace of God. With the resolutions of this meeting, with the strategy adopted in this meeting, the PDP is good to go in Kogi State.
Speaking on behalf of the NWC, acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, said there were signs already that the PDP was the party to beat in the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi State.
“We have already seen prospects in the coming election in Kogi, so this meeting is to know your challenges and to know how to work on the reconciliation before the election.
“This reconciliation will take three stages from the ward, local government, and state. I am glad most of the senior stakeholders are here and they are supposed to anchor that reconciliation. Because we that are from the state can only encourage you to work on the reconciliation.
“I am delighted to tell you that the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, who is the Chairman of the Kogi Campaign Committee, has promised to go to each zone to sit down with you on a zonal basis. He will campaign in all these places and he is very much alive to this responsibility in Kogi,” Damagum said.