From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Presidential standard bearer, Atiku Abubakar campaign train on Saturday, stormed Lokoja the Kogi State capital with a promise to resuscitate the Ajaokuta steel company
The presidential hopeful while addressing unprecedented crowd of PDP faithfuls at the Confluence Stadium, venue of the rally in Lokoja, said that the rival of Ajasteel Complex will serve as a catalyst for Industrial Revolution in the country.
This is as he vowed to construct, reconstruct, and rehabilitate all federal roads in the state to ease commercial activities for the nation.
Atiku made the pledge in Lokoja on Saturday in continuation of his campaign rally ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
The PDP Presidential hopeful described Kogi as a PDP state and urged the people to rise to the occasion by voting for the party in the coming election to enable him to complete the inland ports in the state.
He maintained that if elected he will support the state to pay salaries, and set aside $ 10 billion for job creation, to tackle incessant strikes in the nation’s Universities.
He expressed satisfaction with the turnout of people to receive him and described the mammoth crowd as an indication of people yearnings for change, a positive change that would improve their quality and standard of living.
Speaking further, he described the party as a light over the ruling APC and expressed dissatisfaction with the dwindling standard of living, acute poverty, and gross insecurity across the country.
He promised to include more citizens of the State in governance if elected and assured that the Abuja- Lokoja road and other federal roads would get massive attention.
He also promises to harness the natural and human resources in the state for the benefit of the people, he will revamp the agriculture and tourism potentials that abound in the State.
Governor Udom Emmanuel, and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, said with experience, the will of the people will be respected through the building of massive infrastructures that will make lives bearable for the people.
In the same vein, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State said Kogi has all the potential in natural and human resources, but lamented ineffective leadership, and urged the people to vote for PDP to rejuvenate the economy.
In a remark, former Kogi Gov. Ibrahim Idris described the hardship facing Kogi people under the APC administration as unprecedented in the annals of the State and assured that the PDP would win overwhelmingly in the coming general election.
Highlights of the event were the massive defection of prominent APC leaders and members from across the State in their numbers, who all stressed that the APC administration in the State has made them worse off in terms of living conditions and dividends of democracy.
Receiving the defectors, Dr. Iyorcha Ayu, National Chairman of the Party, urged the returnees to work collectively towards ensuring victory for the PDP. He decried the worsening state of the economy, insecurity, and poverty across the state.
Those that moved to the PDP include; Ex.Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba, Former Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Alfa Imam and Hon. Yahaya Karaku, former Chairman, of Okene LGA with their 148,000, supporters defected from APC to PDP
Speaking on behalf of the returnees, former Kogi State Deputy Governor, Chief Simeon Achuba, said their return to PDP is occasioned by the failed promises made by the APC to Nigerians in 2015 and 2019, lamented that the country is worse off under APC administration.