Sen. Smart Adeyemi, Director- General, Bello/Onoja Campaign Organisation says the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has no candidate to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upcoming governorship election.
He also debunked insinuations that APC masterminded the disruption of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) primary election on Sept 3, as alleged in some quarters in the state.
Adeyemi cleared the air during a news Conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Lokoja on Friday.
Adeyemi, flanked by the state party chairman, Abdullahi Bello (Dollar) and other party stalwarts, said that under Gov. Yahaya Bello-led administration, there were no sponsored thugs.
He said that youths in the state had been engaged in one form of vocation or the other.
The Senator urged PDP to look inward for those responsible for the disruption of its primary election by checking the antecedents of its members and aspirants.
Adeyemi reiterated that APC remained the only visible party in the state with the Bello/Onoja ticket
According to him, the opposition, PDP, has no candidate by reason of court cases challenging the conduct of its primary election.
“Engr Musa Wada is not yet a candidate until the court cases are done with. PDP primary was inconclusive and therefore, PDP has no candidate,” he said.
Adeyemi, who stressed that traditional rulers in Okunland, Kogi West Senatorial District, had declared their support for Bello, said the governor performed better than all the governor’s that had governed the state.
He, however, left out the Late Abubakar Audu, the first democratically elected governor of the state.
“I am supporting Yahaya Adoza Bello because he is touching the lives of my people. Bello is better than all the governors that have ruled this state except the founding governor, Prince Abubakar Audu.”
On the major achievements of Bello, Adeyemi said, “The primary responsibility of any government is first and foremost, the protection of lives and property. You will not dispute the fact, that Gov. Yahaya Bello fought insecurity to a standstill.”
Meanwhile, reacting to the allegations against PDP, Mr Bode Ogunmola, the State Publicity Secretary of PDP, said the party conducted its primary election that produced Engr Musa Wada as its governorship candidate.
Ogunmola said If by reason of the outcome of the primary, somebody felt dissatisfied and went to court to challenge the emergence of Wada, that did not in any way vitiate his candidacy.
“INEC recognises the candidate that emerged from the PDP primary election and that is why somebody is in court.
“Until the court says otherwise, as far as we are concerned, Engr. Musa Wada is PDP’s candidate. Smart does not need any legal abracadabra to know that,” he said.