Kogi Guber: SDP EXCO dumps party, Zonal, LGA Chairmen defect to APC.
IDRIS AHMED, Lokoja.
Barely three months to the Kogi state governorship election, the Social Democratic Party, (SDP), believed to be one of the leading contenders has surprisingly collapsed its structures to boost the chances of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC).
The zonal chairmen of the party in the three senatorial districts, as well as the Chairmen of the party in the 21 local government areas of the state on Thursday renounced their membership of the SDP and declared support for the APC and its candidate for the November Governorship election, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.
The state leadership of SDP, which made the declaration at the Government House in Lokoja, said after series of consultations, they concluded to toe the path of the continuous development efforts of the state government and its wellbeing packages for the indigenes.
The defecting SDP Zonal Chairman for Kogi East, Suleiman Isah, while declaring to the Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, condemned the SDP’s campaign based on ethnicity, saying it is a detrimental to the state’s socio-cultural wellbeing, and could undermine the peace enjoyed in the past few years.
“We are happy that this is happening today. Even while we were in the opposition, we were aware that you did a lot for the state. The infrastructure projects are what anyone cannot deny. Your Excellency. we have all decided to join the APC to support the efforts at further developing the state. And we will give all the necessary support to ensure victory for the APC candidate in the governorship election,” Isah said.
He acknowledged Governor Yahaya Bello’s accomplishments in health, education, road infrastructure, and agriculture, among others, over the past seven years.
The former zonal chairman of the SDP, assured the governor of the commitment of all the SDP chairmen to the Kogi Agenda through the APC candidate, Ododo Ahmed Usman.
On his part, the acting Chairman of SDP for Kogi Central Senatorial District, Zubairu Ibrahim, also commended the governor for infrastructural development in the state and specifically acknowledged his significant efforts at ensuring security of lives and property.
He said the people of Kogi State now enjoy improved security and peace compared to what obtained in the past, stressing that well meaning citizens would not sacrifice that on the altar of politics.
Governor Yahaya Bello
and former SDP Zonal, LGA Chairmen who defected to APC.
, while receiving the defectors, commended their courage, as well as their willingness to contribute to the advancement of the state.
He reiterated the strong commitment of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to maintaining an all inclusive government that extends equal opportunities to both longstanding and new members of the APC.
Governor Bello stressed that the timing of their movement from SDP to APC was significant, given his administration’s noteworthy achievements in Kogi State, which had earned the APC widespread support.
