The Kogi State All Progressives Congress Governorship Campaign Council has lashed out at the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dino Melaye, for accusing the state governor, Yahaya Bello, and the APC of shopping for thugs to disrupt the November 11 governorship election in the state.

The campaign council said Melaye accused Bello and APC of his (Melaye) plans, adding that the ruling party is contesting the forthcoming governorship election to win in a free and fair manner.

The Kogi APC campaign council said this in a statement issued by its spokesman, Kingsley Fanwo, on Thursday, November 2, 2023.

Fanwo stated: “Today’s allegations by the candidate of the empty People’s Democratic Party in the forthcoming Governorship Election in Kogi State, Dino Melaye to the effect that the Governor and the All Progressives Congress are shopping for thugs to disrupt the Governorship Poll is an archaic warfare strategy of accusing the opponents of your plans. It doesn’t hold waters in modern day politicking that is built on mobilization, conviction, strategies and aligning with the power of the people.

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“As incongruent as the allegations are, it is important to state unequivocally here that as a party, we will deploy all legal, constitutional and administrative means to protect our victory that is certain owing to the massive acceptance of our candidate by the Kogi people.

“We are in the contest to win, free and fair. Some are in the contest to take donations to service their prodigal and irresponsible lifestyle while some are out to negotiate for the future.

“Dino Melaye whose ‘ticket’ set fire on the PDP, leading to the detection of key leaders and officials of the party at all levels, knows that he stands no chance in the forthcoming election, hence, his usual drama of raising false alarms and claims that do not exist. The game is over for him.

“We challenge the abandoned PDP Governorship Candidate to submit his claims to security agencies and be ready to defend them.

“With two Senators, six House of Reps members, twenty two House of Assembly Members, twenty one Council Chairmen and all the Ward Councillors in the state, APC has all the required political structure to win a free and fair Governorship Poll. Our Governor has done so well that the people will endorse his party as they have always done since 2015.

“Our Governor is known across Nigeria for his stance on Security and how effective his security architecture has been. Anyone planning mayhem on November 11 will meet his waterloo as an attack on the Governorship Poll will be met with stiff resistance from the forces of law and security.”

He, however, urged the people of Kogi State to “be unperturbed by their fear mongering attitude and come our en masse to pass a vote of confidence on the All Progressives Congress that has changed the face of the state for good” in the governorship election.

The Star