‘Don’t preach ethnicity’ — Yahaya Bello inaugurates campaign council for guber poll

Yahaya Bello, the governor of Kogi, has inaugurated the campaign council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the governorship election in the state.

Usman Ododo, the candidate of the APC, and Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are among the major contenders in the election slated for November 11.

Speaking during the inauguration on Tuesday, Bello appealed to members of the council to base their campaign on issues and the performance of the current administration.

He urged the council to avoid issues pertaining to ethnicity and religion, adding that members should preach the competence of Ododo to continue the successes of his administration.

“Don’t preach ethnicity or religion but base your campaign on what the government has achieved in the last eight years and the ability of the governorship candidate, Usman Ododo, to build effectively on the current administration’s successes,” he said.

“Again, I urge all members and supporters of our great party not to join issues with others who do not have anything to offer in terms of adding value to the state and its inhabitants.

“Forget about liars, whose stock-in-trade is thuggery, with nothing to offer. Go out there and preach what we have on the ground in terms of infrastructure, not about ethnicity.

“Kogi State belongs to all of us. I have always said that the state has the potential to be great if only we can stop playing politics of ethnicity.

“I want all of you to go and work for the success of the party and you will be adequately rewarded.”

Abdullahi Ganduje, national chairman of the APC had charged residents of the state to give the party nothing less than 99 percent votes during the governorship election.

He said Ododo is politically well-groomed and has the experience and competence to lead Kogi to the next level of its development.