Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State has been appointed Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Campaign Council for Kogi State while Governor of Jigawa, Abubakar Badaru is chairing the Committee for Bayelsa.
Adams Oshiomhole, APC National Chairman while inaugurating the Campaign Councils in Abuja charged them to ensure that Yahaya Bello is re-elected in Kogi State and David Lyon emerged victorious in Bayelsa.
Oshiomhole told the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to go and learn new tactics of winning elections legally as electoral outcomes would no longer be determined by the barrel of the gun as it has always been in Bayelsa.
The National Chairman of the APC, noted that the people of Bayelsa have never really determined their leaders because their votes never counted but it was going to be different scenario this time.
While expressing optimism that APC will take over Bayelsa, Oshiomhole said: “In Bayelsa, the heart of the people will be turned to elect a man that will make a difference, that will demonstrate that in a genuine democracy, very ordinary people who connect with their people, who understand and live with their people and share the joy, pain and aspirations of their people, even if they do not have the history of a political dynasty can rise to become a governor and I believe that is the story of our candidate in Bayelsa.
“The reaction of PDP shows they are in trouble. My very good friend, Gov. Dickson is in trouble, but I assure him that his labour pains will soon be over by the time we win the elections.
“We take these two elections very seriously, because we believe in the power of the ballot, we believe that the issues should be contested in a peaceful environment and not by the power of gunshots which has been the tradition of the opposition and we know that people want a change.
“Let me use this opportunity to assure the opposition that we are ready for campaigns, it is not a fight, it is not a war. The only thing we will insist on is that the votes must count because Bayelsan are not used to votes being counted. They have to be encouraged to understand that the votes will not only be cast in a free and fair atmosphere, it must not be through the power of the barrel of the gun. The PDP must know that and learn new tactics in winning votes and not fight wars”.
A member of the Campaign Council for Bayelsa and Kano State Governor, Umar Ganduje who spoke on behalf of the Chairman, Badaru said it was time the APC took over the governance of Bayelsa.
“This assignment is a historic one because this is the time to take over the governance of Bayelsa state. We will use our political dexterity to ensure that every vote counts because this time around, it is a matter of democracy, not aristocracy”, he said.
On his part, Chairman of the APC Kogi state Governorship Campaign Council and Kaduna El-Rufai said his Committee would work towards the final burial of the PDP in the Confluence State.
“After the flag-off, I will like to urge all members of the Campaign Council to relocate to Lokoja and remain there in preparation for the final burial and nailing of the coffin of the PDP,” he mandated.
James Kwen, Abuja
