APC does not believe in violence — Adeyemi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) neither believes in violence nor would engage the service the services of thugs in the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi state.

This was the stated by the Bello/Onoja Campaign Organisation Director General, Senator Smart Adeyemi, while debunking claims by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the APC sponsored the violence that disrupted the PDP’s primaries on September 3.

Speaking at a press conference in Lokoja, the DG said the APC had no reason to sponsor violence against a party that does not have what it takes to win any election in Kogi state.

According to him, the state does not also have idle youths for such destructive act noting instead that the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello has engaged youths in one form of vocation or the other.

The DG instead advised the main opposition party to look inward to address its problems rather than blame it on external organ, stressing that the PDP has the habit of disrupting its elections.

He insisted that the PDP does not have any candidate and therefore does not pose any threat to the APC’s candidate who he said has shown by his performance in the last four years that he has credibility and capacity to deliver.

“Engr Musa Wada is not yet a candidate until the court cases are done with. PDP primary was inconclusive and therefore, PDP has no candidate,” he said.

“I am supporting Yahaya Adoza Bello because he is touching the lives of my people. Bello is better than all the other governors that have ruled this state except the founding governor, Prince Abubakar Audu.

“The primary responsibility of any government is first and foremost, the protection of lives and property. You will not dispute the fact, that Gov Bello fought insecurity to a standstill.”

Already, he said the traditional institutions have rallied round the governor stating that only recently traditional rulers in Okunland, Kogi West senatorial district declared their support for Bello.

But in a swift reaction, the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Mr Bode Ogunmola, said the party conducted its primary election that produced Engr Musa  Wada as its governorship candidate.

“If, by reason of the outcome of the primary, somebody felt dissatisfied and went to court to challenge the emergence of Wada, that did not in any way vitiate his candidacy.

“INEC recognises the candidate that emerged from the PDP primary election and that is why somebody is in court.

“Until the court says otherwise, as far as we are concerned, Engr. Musa Wada is PDP’s candidate. Adeyemi does not need any legal abracadabra to know that,” he said.