The Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has felicitated with the people of Kogi State on the celebration of this year’s Democracy Day.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Lokoja, the APC Governorship candidate commended the people of the state for being part of Nigeria’s 7th successive democratic transition that culminated in the inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the 29th of May, 2023.
Ododo who described June 12, 1993 as the day Nigerians across the country decided to shun ethnic, religious and regional differences by electing Chief Moshood Abiola as president, noted that Nigerians have demonstrated time and again their ability to put the interest of the nation ahead of primordial sentiments.
While extolling the pro-democracy achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu whom he described as the symbol of national unity and the struggle to enthrone civil rule in the country, he called for an end to divisive politics among the people of the state in the spirit of Democracy Day celebration.
According to Ododo:
“Democracy Day symbolises more than the celebration of the June 12 presidential election won by Chief Moshood Abiola. It is indeed the celebration of the struggle to enthrone democratic governance in Nigeria as well as the ability of Nigerians to shun ethnic, religious and regional differences in the interest of national unity.”
The APC Gubernatorial flagbearer urged the people of Kogi State to emulate the historic feat by Nigerians in the June 12 1993 election by putting the peace and unity of the state ahead of tribal bigotry and divisive politics in the build-up to the November 11 Governorship election in the state.
“As we prepare for the November 11 Governorship election in the state, I call on my brothers and sisters from all parts of Kogi State to reject the narrative of tribal politics and embrace the Kogi Agenda which is the only guarantee for the sustenance of the prevailing peace, unity and development in our state,” Ododo said.
He assured that his campaign will be devoid of anti-democratic narratives, adding that tribal sentiment and hate speech are against the tenets of democracy and must be prevented from becoming dominant narratives of political campaigns in the Governorship election in the state.
He urged the people of the state to support the APC and its Governorship candidate whom he said have demonstrated the ability to unite the state going by the level of ethnic balance and tolerance actively promoted by the Kogi State government under Governor Yahaya Bello in the last seven years.
