From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Rising Jubilations have enveloped Kogi Central Senatorial District over massive defection of members of the opposition parties to the All Progressives Congress (APC) .
Mr Abubakar Ohere, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial candidate, for Kogi Central, expressed gladness with the spate of defection from opposition political parties into the APC in Kogi.
Prof. Solomon Avidime, Chairman, Ohere Political Vanguard (OPV), made the disclosure in a statement made available to Journalists in Lokoja at the weekend.
The OPV chairman said that Ohere had described the recent spate of defection to APC as a welcome development.
Avidime, who is a fertility and Gynae-endoscopy Specialist at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, said that APC as a progressive political party, “desires more of such entrance for its growth, spread and numerical strength to win elections”.
The OPV chairman said that the latest fusion of some opposition parties in the zone, led by the Social Democratic Party (SDP), into the APC has emboldened party members and strengthened its support base.
“We have been informed that more political juggernauts are bracing up to join the APC because of its flavour and stuff of the candidates flying the party’s flag for the 2023 general elections in the state and country at large.
“The decision of the Social Democratic Party in Kogi Central to collapse into our great APC and work for the success of our party is gladdening and the outcome of wide consultations amongst the political gladiators in this zone.
“OPV is joining positive forces with stakeholders to ensure the victory of APC at all polls across the state and particularly in Kogi Central.
“We wish to assure all decampees of equal treatment and fairness as exemplified by His Excellency, Gov. Yahaya Bello, whose leadership style is magnetising the opposition in our state,” Avidime said.
He claimed that OPV was already in dialogue with many other opposition figures and political parties to join the APC ahead of the 2023 elections.
According to him, the feat was a result of hard work and the determination of OPV to win clean the upcoming general elections in Kogi state.
The chairman said that OPV has been vigorously campaigning in the nooks and crannies of the zone even when the oppositions were on a voyage of media propaganda.
“But the good news is that members of the major opposition PDP in the state are withdrawing in to their cocoons because of APC’s sterling performance.
“As it is, we are sure of a landslide victory by clinching the governorship, presidential, state and national assembly elections in Kogi because of the quality and credibility of the candidates.”
While urging APC members to sustain their performance and campaign by remaining steadfast and focused on delivering the party at the 2023 polls, he advised Kogites to remain peaceful and law abiding throughout the electioneering campaigns and beyond for the development of the state and Nigeria at large.
Avidime is also a Member of Kogi Presidential Campaign Council and Head, Kogi Central Directorate of Elite Support Group.