Olu Samuel, Lokoja

The Kogi State Chapter of Labour party has lamented the denial of access to the Confluence Stadium Lokoja, by Governor Yahaya Bello led All Progressive Congress (APC) Government barely 24 hours to hold its Presidential mega rally slated to hold Tuesday, December 13th 2022 in Lokoja.

Addressing journalists on Monday, the Kogi State Chairman of Labour Party Hon. Suleiman Abdul Ahmed who noted that their party Presidential Mr Peter Obi was expected to campaign in Lokoja on Tuesday described the action of the Kogi State Government as wicked, and anti-democratic.

Ahmed emphasized that the party has written to the Kogi State Government on several occasions, only to be turned down at the last minute of their principal visit.

According to him, despite the frustration from the state government, the party remains resolute to ensure that the campaign holds as planned.

Ahmed stressed that, Labour Party is out to salvage the people from the shackles of poverty and mal-administration of the present APC Government.

While admonishing supporters of the party not to be deterred on the recent development, Ahmed lamented on the massive destruction of the Labour Party billboard by suspected thugs loyal to the ruling APC in Kogi State.

Explaining further, Ahmed said” If they had denied them the opportunity of using that stadium to campaign, I am not sure they would be in office today. The truth is that some people put up characters that are strange. You go to so many states, you will find campaign billboards and posters. In Kogi State, there is a law, just for you to erect a campaign billboard, you must pay heavily.

“The reason the Government put in these policies are to ensure that credible Candidates do not win elections, and that will not work. The people are tired of the bad leadership of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kogi State and Nigeria in general. So denying people the ability to use facilities is not the way out. The People will surely vote in candidates that are credible.

“Nobody has a monopoly of violence. We are obedient. No matter what happens, the campaign will be held tomorrow. Even though it is inside the forest. Money has never been the problem. They made several efforts to discourage us. They even tripled the stadium money just to frustrate us from using the facilities. They are doing this deliberately at the eleventh hour so that the campaign will not hold. The people in charge of the stadium said the order came from the top for us not to have access to use the stadium”.

The Chairman, however, debunked media reports that there is a faction in the Labour Party, adding that they are becoming stronger on a daily basis to take over leadership in Nigeria.

“Mischief makers are scared of the rising political profile of the Labour Party in Kogi State, so they are eager to see how they can divide the party. We also know that there are people who are paid by the incumbent.

“People who have ruled this State and ruin it. People for so many years have not been paying salaries. Even when they try to pay, they will pay it in percentage. People who have also made up their minds that the State should go into retrogression, instead of progress. They already know that the people will reject them at the poll, all that is paramount to them is to cause disunity in the party” he added.