As the 2023 general elections draw nearer, senior office holders in the new direction government have vowed to deliver the party in all offices from House of Assembly to Presidential contest come February and March 2023. This was the resolution after a critical leadership meeting of Senior office holders from all the seven LGAs of the Senatorial district at the residence of honourable Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning.
The meeting which was well attended had the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Sunday Faleke, Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Matters who doubles as the Chairman of Commissioners Forum, Mukadam Asiwaju Asiru Idris, Commissioner for Environment, Hon Adewale Omofaiye, Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Hon(Engr) Bashir Gegu, Special Advisers on Civil Service and Labour Matters, Hon Bode Adeyemi, Water Resources, Hon Adesayo Ismail, Culture and Tourism, Hon Bolaji Femi, Job Creation, Hon Iselaiye and several others. Also present were Executive Secretary, Kogi Health Insurance Agency, Dr Kunle Aledare, Kogi Office for Disability Affairs, Barr Dare Michael, Managing Director, Kogi Graphics, Hon Otunba Adekola and others.
While declaring the meeting open, Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Matters, Asiwaju Idris told members that the Secretary to the State Campaign Council, Dr Ayoade Folashade Arike has charged and directed wr appraise the forthcoming election, conduct a SWOT analysis of the candidates for different positions, recommend processes of how to move forward and make arrangements to welcome decampees from different political parties. He enjoined members to bare out their minds and also make meaning suggestions and contributions that will guarantee victory for the party in the forthcoming election. He encouraged members to see the forthcoming election as one that will be a general appraisal platform for the leaders of the zone to test their capacity and popularity, he therefore charged them to double their efforts towards delivering all the party’s candidates as directed by Governor Yahaya Bello.
In his own presentation, Hon Bashir Gegu says the need to welcome intending decampees and woo more people from other political parties have become very important, he said the leaders must study other parties and identify members who are dissatisfied, cheated or sidelined and are willing and ready to join APC, he said such people should be identified, engaged and encouraged to join the party. Hon Gegu says we must all move out to preach the party and candidates to the people of the zone.
Speaking in the same vein, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor encouraged candidates of the party to dwell more with the stakeholders at all levels to guarantee smooth communication and synergy that will ensure the victory of the party. He said party leaders must be ready to be selfless and hardworking to be able to deliver the candidates. He admonished the meeting to hit the ground running immediately by launching to the field as time waits for no one.
Another speaker at the event, Hon Omofaiye says the party must deliver in order to make Governor Yahaya Bello proud and also to guarantee dividends of democracy for the teeming party loyalists and the entire people of Kogi West. He charged members to be ready to sacrifice their personal resources to support the inevitable victory of the party.
Also speaking on need to unite as a people to be able to defeat our opponents, Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism, Hon Bolaji Femi says it’s time to work together in unity as party stakeholders in order for the victory to come. He enjoined members to put the primary elections intrigues behind and unite for the various candidates of the party.
The meeting resolved to invite all Candidates for all the offices to an expanded meeting to further rob minds together.