TEXT OF MY ACCEPTANCE SPEECH ON THE OCCASSION OF MY NOMINATION AS THE GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE OF THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) IN THE FORTHCOMING GOVERNORHSIP ELECTION IN THE STATE
1. Protocols:
2. To the glory of God Almighty and utmost sense of responsibility, I accept the challenge to be the flagbearer of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November, 2023 governorship election in Kogi State.
3. The task of leading our Party to victory in the next governorship election in the state is a herculean one but it is a task we must accomplish by the grace of God.
4. I congratulate all my brothers and sister who all aspired to lead the party in the next governorship election.
5. Although, we are all eminently qualified to fly the flag of our Party but only one of us can do so at a time; and so I thank you all most profoundly for supporting my aspiration as the candidate of our Party in the next governorship election in the state.
6. You have all demonstrated a rare fit in party loyalty, respect for the system and believe in the spirit of a united APC family in Kogi State.
7. We are all winners because we are in this race together as one family.
8. I call on all of you my brothers and sisters and all our teeming supporters to let us unite solidly behind the ticket and work for the victory of the Party (APC) come November, 2023.
9. We must now put behind us the brotherly exchanges before the primary election which were only a means for us to test the system which has now truly proven to be alive, well, and working in the interest of the party and indeed the good people of Kogi State.
10. With your support, our great party (APC) will be victorious in the next governorship election and we shall consolidate on the gains of the New Direction agenda in the state.
11. May I at this juncture most respectfully express my profound appreciation to our leader and architect of the new Kogi State, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, AlhajiYahaya Bello for believing in me and for effectively leading us through a smooth and rancour-free process that has today culminated in this victory for all our party men and women in the state.
12. I want to also use this medium and singular opportunity to specially and most profoundly appreciate the relentless efforts of the State Party Chairman, my brother and my good friend, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello (Dollar).
13. Today, the party has spoken; the system is working and the APC shall be victorious and we shall retain power in Kogi state come November, 2023.
14. Once again, I thank you Your Excellency, Governor Bello Matawalle and all members of the Governorship Election Committee and the State Executive of our party for overseeing the smooth conduct of the primary election in the state.
15. I appreciate the National Chairman of APC and members of the National Working Committee and Excos of our Party for providing a level playing field. I thank all the delegates, our party leaders, party men and women from across the 21 local government areas in the state for your support and loyalty to the Party (APC)
16. This is a great opportunity for me to build on the success of our leader, Governor Yahaya Bello who has overseen one of the best performing state economies in the country in the last seven years with proven records in security, human capital development, health, education, agriculture and critical infrastructure.
17. As the candidate of the Party (APC) in the governorship election, I will work day and night and to the best of my ability with all interest groups in the state to lead the Party (APC) to victory in the governorship election in November, 2023.
18. I promise to consolidate on the gains of the present administration of His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello by deepening security architecture, investing in human capital development, agriculture, healthcare, tourism and critical infrastructure that will kickstart the industrialization of Kogi as a frontline state in Northern Nigeria.
19. I will not let you down
20. Thank you, Your Excellencies.
21. Thank you all and God bless our great Party and our dear Kogi State.
Ameen.
APC!
Alhaji Ahmed Ododo Usman,
All Progressives Congress(APC) Gubernatorial Candidate, Kogi State.