The All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Governor Yahaya Bello, denied the Kogi State Labour Party access to the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja, just 24 hours before its presidential mega event was scheduled to take place there on Tuesday, December 13, 2022.
The Kogi State Chairman of the Labour Party, Hon. Suleiman Abdul Ahmed, spoke to journalists on Monday and criticized the Kogi State Government’s actions as wicked and anti-democratic. He also mentioned that the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was scheduled to campaign in Lokoja on Tuesday.
Ahmed emphasized that the party had maintained contact with the Kogi State Government on a few occasions, only to have their principal’s visit rejected at the last minute.
He claims that despite the displeasure of the state administration, the party is steadfast in its determination to make sure that the campaign proceeds as intended.
Ahmed emphasized that the Labour Party is working to free the populace from the chains of poverty and the dysfunctional administration of the current APC government.
Ahmed bemoaned the widespread damage of the Labour Party’s billboards by thugs in Kogi State who are thought to be loyal to the ruling APC, warning party followers not to be discouraged by the latest incident.
Ahmed continued, “I’m not convinced they would be in office today if they had been denied the chance to use the stadium for a campaign. The truth is that some people post bizarre characters. There are campaign billboards and posters everywhere you go. There is a law in Kogi State that requires you to pay a lot of money only to put up a campaign billboard.
“The government implemented these policies in an effort to prevent electing competent candidates, but that strategy will fail. The All Progressive Congress (APC) leadership in Kogi State and throughout Nigeria has become old with the populace. Therefore, refusing individuals access to facilities is not a solution. Credible candidates will undoubtedly receive the majority of the vote.
“Violence is a shared human experience. The Obidients are us. No matter what, the election will take place tomorrow. Despite being inside a forest. The issue has never been one of money. They made a number of attempts to demoralize us. Even the stadium budget was quadrupled in an effort to discourage us from using the amenities. They are purposefully acting in this manner at the very last minute so that the campaign would fail. The stadium’s managers said that we were not allowed admission because of a top-down directive.
The LP chairman, however, refuted media allegations that the Labour Party contains a faction, noting that they are growing stronger every day and are poised to seize control of Nigeria.
“Mischief makers are eager to see how they can divide the party,” he remarked, referring to the Labour Party’s expanding political presence in Kogi State. “We are also aware of the existence of those who are employed by the incumbent.”
“People who dominated this state and made it uninhabitable. People who, for so long, have not paid salaries; even when they do, they will pay it in percentages; people who, in addition, have decided that the state should regress rather than advance They already know that voters would reject them, so all that matters to them is to sow division within the party, he continued.
APC Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi state denies labour party access to campaign venue
The All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Governor Yahaya Bello, denied the Kogi State Labour Party access to the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja, just 24 hours before its presidential mega event was scheduled to take place there on Tuesday, December 13, 2022.
The Kogi State Chairman of the Labour Party, Hon. Suleiman Abdul Ahmed, spoke to journalists on Monday and criticized the Kogi State Government’s actions as wicked and anti-democratic. He also mentioned that the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was scheduled to campaign in Lokoja on Tuesday.
Ahmed emphasized that the party had maintained contact with the Kogi State Government on a few occasions, only to have their principal’s visit rejected at the last minute.
He claims that despite the displeasure of the state administration, the party is steadfast in its determination to make sure that the campaign proceeds as intended.
Ahmed emphasized that the Labour Party is working to free the populace from the chains of poverty and the dysfunctional administration of the current APC government.
Ahmed bemoaned the widespread damage of the Labour Party’s billboards by thugs in Kogi State who are thought to be loyal to the ruling APC, warning party followers not to be discouraged by the latest incident.
Ahmed continued, “I’m not convinced they would be in office today if they had been denied the chance to use the stadium for a campaign. The truth is that some people post bizarre characters. There are campaign billboards and posters everywhere you go. There is a law in Kogi State that requires you to pay a lot of money only to put up a campaign billboard.
“The government implemented these policies in an effort to prevent electing competent candidates, but that strategy will fail. The All Progressive Congress (APC) leadership in Kogi State and throughout Nigeria has become old with the populace. Therefore, refusing individuals access to facilities is not a solution. Credible candidates will undoubtedly receive the majority of the vote.
“Violence is a shared human experience. The Obidients are us. No matter what, the election will take place tomorrow. Despite being inside a forest. The issue has never been one of money. They made a number of attempts to demoralize us. Even the stadium budget was quadrupled in an effort to discourage us from using the amenities. They are purposefully acting in this manner at the very last minute so that the campaign would fail. The stadium’s managers said that we were not allowed admission because of a top-down directive.
The LP chairman, however, refuted media allegations that the Labour Party contains a faction, noting that they are growing stronger every day and are poised to seize control of Nigeria.
“Mischief makers are eager to see how they can divide the party,” he remarked, referring to the Labour Party’s expanding political presence in Kogi State. “We are also aware of the existence of those who are employed by the incumbent.”
“People who dominated this state and made it uninhabitable. People who, for so long, have not paid salaries; even when they do, they will pay it in percentages; people who, in addition, have decided that the state should regress rather than advance They already know that voters would reject them, so all that matters to them is to sow division within the party, he continued.
