2019 Election: ADC party leaders attack by suspected APC Thugs in Kogi West.

Leaders of the African Democratic Congress in Kogi West, were on Thursday attacked by suspected political thugs at Kabba area, Egbeda Egga, Iyara In Ijumu Area and Ife Olukotun In Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State.

On Thursday,  Elder Leke Abejide, ADC House of Representatives member-Elect, Shuaib Ipinmisho, Ijumu House of Assembly ADC Candidate were attacked by sponsored thugs.

The People’s Democratic Party, PDP members  were not also left out as Hon Rinde Asagun the House of Assembly candidate of the party was beaten and supporters brutally injured.

The victims according to reports were reportedly brutalised by gun-wielding thugs from the ruling APC in the state, numbering over 30. They were reportedly led by government officials from the local governments.

The attackers invaded the venue where opposition party members were holding meetings and rallies in preparatory for the House of Assembly election, slated for Saturday, March 9.

So many have described the unprovoked attack as callous, wicked and barbaric.

An ADC chieftain urged the electorate to be on guard and assured that no threat or intimidation would make the party to back down on its resolve to wrestle power from the APC.

He urged the police, army and other security agencies to provide adequate security for every citizen of Kogi West before and after the Saturday’s election.

The State Assistant Publicity Secretary of ADC, Alamoh Kehinde Samuel, has condemned the attack.
He vowed that the party would explore every legal avenue to expose and bring the perpetrators to justice.

He further reassured of the party’s commitment to peaceful and violence free elections on Saturday, and urged politicians not to make the election a do-or-die affair.
He said the party will lodged a formal report at the Police Command in Lokoja.

“The attack is condemnable and we promise the perpetrators that ADC will explore every available legal means to bring them to justice. We are law abiding and wish to reassure the electorate and Kogi West residents that ADC is committed to peaceful and violence free elections in Kogi State,” he said.

OPEN LETTER TO OKUN ROYAL FATHERS ON PLANNED VIOLENCE IN 9TH MARCH, 2019 ELECTION.

Your Royal Majesties,

It has become necessary to write this open letter to you all in view of the impending mayhem planned by certain individuals during and after the Assembly election on 9th day of March, 2019.
As custodians of the culture and values of the people in your respective domains, the well being of the people is your responsibility and duty. It is therefore reasonable to expect that actions and pronouncements from Palaces across Okunland will be that which will enhance peace.
The peaceful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly election should be a thing of joy for Your Majesties because it reaffirmed the noble attributes of Okun people. This impressive and laudable conduct must be strengthened and maintained if you all truly desire development for our people. Okunland is now the envy of our cohabitors in the Kogi enclave and any attempt to negate this positive trend should attract your collective wrath and condemnation.
The silence and nonchalance of Your Majesties about the agony of majority of your people is regrettable. No one is suggesting that you become antagonists of government but giving advice to those in authority based on the true position of things with your people is not asking for too much.
Political appointees have displayed so much disdain and disrespect to Your Royal stools as they no longer regard your persons and the revered thrones you seat on.
The election of 9th March, 2019 is not the first and will certainly not be the last in Okunland and it is left to Your Majesties to decide on which side of history you wish to be judged by your actions or lack of same amidst the planned violence to be unleashed on your people by desperate appointees who value keeping their present political offices more than the peace of Okunland and the lives of the people.
You have been informed of the plans to make the next election a do or die affair and have failed to reprimand those behind it as fathers ought to do when forced to deal with children who attempt to set the house of fire. Your Majesties have become accessories after the fact and if/when the plans are executed, the land and our ancestors will surely ask questions.
It is a known fact, that some of you have openly approved and given tacit approval to those bent on disrupting the peace in Okunland; at the appropriate time, account will be given of roles played by everybody.
I end this letter, Your Majesties with a plea that you call those involved to order and if possible invoke curses on those planning to turn Okunland into a theatre of war in the quest to satisfy their paymaster.
If the Governor is disappointed with the apparent lack of confidence in his leadership by Okun people as expressed with their votes, the reasonable thing to do is for him to identify areas he has failed as a leader and make amends instead of subtly arm twisting his appointees to wage war against their people.
A King whose reign is peaceful and prosperous will never be forgotten and the King who supervised the destruction of his community will also be remembered though negatively.

Yours sincerely,
Posi Botun
A Concerned Okun daughter.

Senator Dino Melaye, a special breed of God.

"AKANDA ENIYAN"

 Senator Dino Melaye is a SPECIAL BREED of GOD"

I will want to x-ray a little of him while he was in Abdul Azeez Attah Memorial College, Okene. (AAAMCO).
He was a young unasumming boy with every potential to be a tall man. He was always very enthusiastic in anything he believed in. He was the college pressman who will be seen on every assembly days (Mondays and Fridays) casting current and relevant news items. Only God knows the sources of his research, i mean, from which source(s) he got his news items as there was no internet service at this time.
His appetite for thorough jobs and ensuring it is properly done, is prolific.
Going by his personal antecedent, he is an enigma of a man. People tend to under-rate him.
Do you know that with all these around Sen. Dino, he is just completed a Masters Degree in Policy Analysis from University of Abuja as 7th Degree. Currently a law student in Baze University Abuja 3rd year.
He has touched virtually every part of his Senatorial district with democratic dividend like no one ever did.
Everybody has something his heart wishes or his wants, most atime, these aspirations or heart desires are impeeded upon by lack, the inability to be able to meet up with the monetary demand of that desire/taste. However, the Grace of God has provided SDM with the wherewithal to be able to satisfy such personal desires.

Senator Dino Melaiye is a special creation of God.
One other quality endowed on him by God is his ability to conquer "FEAR". Cowards they say die many times before their death. Dino with death staring him on the face will not mind saying the truth that he has to say. No wonder, his coined adage, "If you say the truth, you will die, if you dont say the truth, you will die. So i choose to say the truth and die"
You will not die but live to fulfil your mandate to the people of Kogi Western Senatorial District, Kogites and Nigerians at large.
Distinguished Senator Dino Melaye, i Hail ooo.
Mr 'Shola Agbaje-williams. Your college teacher

Assembly Election: APC Working With INEC To Rig In Kogi Western Senatorial District.

Says INEC EO's In Ijumu, Yagba Already Compromised

The Peoples Democratic Party says it has uncovered plans by the APC led administration to rig the forthcoming State House of Assembly election in the Western Senatorial District by using the INEC Electoral Officers to rig the election.

The PDP says the INEC Electoral Officers of Ijumu, Yagba, Lokoja would be holding their last strategic meeting in Kogi Government House Lokoja with the Chief of Staff, other stakeholders to perfect the rigging plans.

As part of the APC plan, the APC led administration have in their possession ballot papers and original result sheets given to them by INEC who have been assigned conventional and fake policemen to carry out the plan to steal the peoples mandate.

According to an inside source, the Kogi State Government having lost the Western Senatorial District in the last presidential and national assembly election has mandated all it political appointees to at all cost deliver in the next Saturday's election.

But not satisfied with whether the appointees from West would deliver, efforts to secure victory at all cost had made the APC led administration to involve Electoral officers, who have released ballot papers and result sheets to some officials of government enable them win the seven local government in Kogi West Senatorial district.

But in a swift reaction, the PDP through it Director Research and Documentation, Dickson Achadu, says the party is aware of the nefarious scheme by the APC.

The PDP equally warned INEC of connivance, insisting that the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. James Apam should in the interest of fairness, as umpires swap all electoral officers posted to the seven local government areas of Kogi West senatorial district.

The PDP says it frowns at the allegations of ballot papers claimed to be in the hands of APC, lamented at INEC connivance to trample on the peoples will, promised that the party would resist using every legal means plans by the APC led administration to rig election in Kogi West Senatorial District and the state as a whole.

Ijumu House Of Assembly; Rig At Your Own Risk, Temibi Blows Hot, Warns Ijumu APC Against Rigging

Assembly Polls: Over 40,000 ballot papers already thumb printed in Ijumu LGA, others.

Wednesday 06, 2019


Fraud Alert!

The State Assembly election billed to hold on Saturday 9, 2019 has already been partially conducted and results collated by APC in dubious collaboration with some INEC staffs in the 7 LGAs of Kogi West.
Reliable information have just emerged how the sole administrator of Ijumu LGA, Taofik Isah, other colleagues with political appointees in Ijumu got ballots papers that will be used on Saturday poll, and were thumb printed overnight yesterday till this morning.

As we speak, APC in Ijumu like in Yagba West and East, Mopa- Amuro, Kabba-Bunu, Kogi and Lokoja LGA have over 40,000 already thumb printed ballots papers in their possession.
They've bribed INEC ad-hoc staffs (Corps members) and have mobilized large of thugs, well equipped with different ammunition whose function is attack PDP agents, supporters and scare away voters to pave way for stuffing of ballots boxes on Saturday March 9, 2019.
The ballots papers currently in their possession varies and depending on the local govt. Some has 25,000, 50,000, 10,000 ballot papers cross.

More so, it will also interest the public and all election observers, civil society organization and the security agents that the original results for state Assembly election (FORM EC8A) is already in the hands of all the sole administrators from Ijumu to other six LGAs in Kogi West.

This is in compliance with the matching order given by Kogi state governor to all political appointees in Kogi West to go ahead and win the upcoming Assembly poll either by hook or crook in Kogi West if they must retain their offices.

Its is on this note we wish to alert the AIG zone 8, Commissioner of Police Kogi state, Kogi Commandant of Civil Defence, other security agents to be on the watch and defend our democracy, ensure the protection of voters on Saturday.

We equally call on INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Kogi State to ensure a free level playing ground for all parties as PDP will never watch and allow its mandate to be carted away by desperate APC.

We sincerely charge security agents to be impartial and display high level of professionalism as usual, in other not to allow political desperados to unleash terror on the voters and as well as sustaining the existing peace in Kogi West Senatorial District as witnessed in the last election.


-KOGI WEST PDP

KOGI WEST APC & DEFEAT

Gbenga Bright

When we asked them to perform, they refused, they remain deaf to sense of reasoning. Now election came, they started arresting, intimidating and grouping thugs thinking that will transform into voting or victory.
They shared taxpayers money to the appointees, all through election, money was flying round every ward with their leaders smiling. Some have begin to work on their abandoned cars, motorcycles etc from the free heavy inflow of APC election promo.
All did not translate into votes as major actor lost out to PDP in their various units.

Smart Adeyemi, APC candidate was busy moving around arrogantly with men of the SARS on eve of election looking for who to arrest among top PDP leaders. He drove to Yagba fed constituency on Friday, a day before election with intention to arrest some of our leaders, while his home town/ ward was left empty. People who are sympathetic to his aspiration went to his abode at Iyara, no single person to attend to them.
A candidate who solely believed in a 'governor' than supreme God can not defeat the Godly anointed Sen Dino Melaye.
He thought ogugu Oracle priest could conjure figure and INEC result sheets in his favour, but the people made their choice through popular votes.

PLANS TO ATTACK SDM
Sen Dino Melaye was even prevented from entering Kogi, the ADC to the governor led over one hundred masked men armed to teeth and blocked the road. The people went ahead made their choice.
Another election is coming next week Saturday, they state govt have already perfected their usual violent plans to attack SDM between 8/9 of March, 2019.
This is an attempt to prevent him ultimately from coming home for the next state assembly election billed to hold next Saturday.
 Political parties are expected to engage the voters and canvas for votes legitimately, but the  APC Kogi have resulted into violent plans to forcefully secure votes.
Nigerians and security agents should take note.

SMART AND TRIBUNAL.
Now, I learnt that the re- defeated Smart Adeyemi is planing to embark on tribunal pilgrimage over an election that he was defeated comfortably in 6 out of 7 LGAs that makes up Kogi West.
This is nothing but an unproductive attempt to distract Sen Dino Melaye when the 9th senate is inaugurated.
For me, it is his constitutional right to go to tribunal to challenge whatever he feels, but i quick to ask him first ask from the governor's appointees and APC leaders who went home with large cash for same Kogi West election how they lost their various polling units to SDM of PDP?

Did they see any rigging?
Was result not counted and collated in their very presence?
Can one LGA-  that is Kogi/Koto where Smart won with 15,000 plus and followed by Dino's 11,000 plus override Sen Dino's win in 6 out 7 LGAs?

I publicly challenge the defeated Smart Adeyemi to first publish "his own Iyara ward result and let the public view his performance" before dragging other ward to tribunal.

For us in PDP, integrity follows our acts and the people respect our position at all times, and when its time for election.

-GBENGA BRIGHT

Elder Leke Abejide: The People Considered Personality First.

By Abraham Ibukun  Eunice

Going critically by the result of the just concluded election, it has really shown that the people of Yagba Federal Constituency didn't just vote. They also put into consideration in their various assertions to choose an exceptionally outstanding individual.

Paraphrasing the Holy Bible: "A group of people begets the type of leaders they deserves" this indicates the electioneering process and decision by the electorates will culminate in the emergence of a particular type of candidate.

Looking at Elder Leke Abejide the peoples choice, then you will agree with me that the people voted him because of his refined nature, identity of value additives, a good container with good content,  a true agent of makeover.


The Yagba electorates found in him the qualities needed to transform the structure, one of the core and major essence people had to vote him was his good structure and strive to envisage development in our communities.

Most of us who were close to the electorate and elites in Yagba could tell a lot more on why he was massively voted for,  we could tell that a good personality was the guiding principle behind their choices. However conscious efforts were made to ensure the emergence of the best candidate ( Let me say the people's candidate) for the polity to enjoy the benefit of a good leader.

 It was not by any magic wand or a whiff of imagination that the people chose Abejide, rather it was therefore a heave of huge relief and breath of fresh air that the electorates were able to exercise their civil rights.

Although he was not the only one that contested for House of Representatives, other candidates also spread their tentacles across the length and breath of Yagba, under different political parties and forms. But the people raised the echoes of  their votes  loud, the name Leke Abejide, party and personality they wanted at the green chambers took over the space as they voted African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The people have 100% assertiveness that development has not just come to Yagba but it has come to stay permanently, as soon has he assumes office.

Okun Daughters Forum Congratulates Senator Dino Melaye, Hon. T. J Yusuf and Elder Leke Abejide on their election victory

By Gideon Ayodele

The innitiator and founder of Okun Daughters Forum, Yeye Aaremo Okuwakemi Seyi-Ayodele on behalf of the organisation have congratulated Senator Dino Melaye, Hon. Tajudeen Ayo Yusuf and Elder Leke Abejide on their victories at the just concluded National Assembly elections to represent their constituencies.

According to her, the plartform, though non-political, yet find it fit to congratulate the 3 federal legislators for coming out victoriously in their election and wish to identify with whoever God has given the privilege to represent the good people of Okun nation.

Yeye Aaremo stated that the group in her vision amongst others is to act and  offer good representation and Voice for Okun Women in Politics, Academics, Business and other areas of human endeavours within and outside Kogi State so as to ensure Gender Equality and a force to reckon with in the society.

HON. KEHINDE OLORUNTOBA: HIS POLITICAL, TECHNOCRATIC AND HUMANITARIAN IMPACTS!!

By Henry Folaranmi

In democratic governance, two sets of people are key players - the Political Players and the technocratic players, then humanity attraction which also goes with political factor plays effective role. This man called Hon. Kehinde Oloruntoba embodies these factors in quantum.

#Hon. Toba as Politician:
The first ever political assignment given to Hon. Toba was the bye election that brought in Alhaji Haruna Isa as a Member House of representatives for Lokoja/Koto. He was posted to Giriyan to ensure victory for our Party. A strange environment with strong political consciousness. Being politically sound, he constituted a think thank to appraise the political history of Giriyan, went all out, visiting Chiefs and leaders of the community adjoining Giriyan.

After the election, in the whole Kogi LGA, Hon. Toba pulled the highest votes differential that ensured victory for Alhaji Isa. I was moved by his dexterity and dynamics. I asked him: but Sir, "they said you are not a politician", he replied,  Henry, "I just like to do whatever assignments they gave me well and produce results".

Moving from Giriyan, I know if given optimum supports Hon. Toba would become a reckoning force in GYB government from Kogi West. His political leadership is exemplary.

Coming home to play his local politics, let it be on record that he has never been involved in his local politics until his emergence as Commissioner under this Government. He has spent all his life outside his aboriginal community.

This last elections were the first he was involved in his locality and there were strong forces, mountain of Gilberta that were impossible to defeat in that community. They are the PDP State Vice Chairman and Treasurer, they both share the same unit with Hon. Toba. These men have never lost that polling Unit to anyone. But it fell to Hon. Toba.

Hon. Toba swing into action, met with all the who is who in that ward and his community, including those of the opposition. He met with Chiefs, leaders of the various communities, youths and women groups.

Hon. Toba has endeared himself to the people. All he needs is additional push and an encouraging support to cover grounds. He has started from his polling unit, with strong support he'd have Kogi west in his grip.

Let me say this here that Hon. Toba is a compact and articulate machine that does his job excellently well. Give him an assignment and go to sleep he will surpass your expectations.

#Hon. Toba as a Humanist:
Hon. Toba's fist is never clenched neither is his pocket zipped.

After recession of the rain, because of the impassible nature of the road during raining season leading into his community, Hon. Toba swing into action. With little resources at his disposal -
He dug two boreholes in two communities,
Graded over 35  Kilometers road in Kiri Land
Gave over 5 motorbikes
Donated bus to his wards
Donated generators
He single-handedly paid Tuition for over 456 students, running into millions
Gave School uniforms and countless writing materials to schools in Kiri land
He gave free healthcare services and medical assistance to his people.
Enrolled over 300 women on conditional cash transfer.

As I post this here, there are over 10 people daily who send accounts for financial assistance. In a severe cases, he'd go borrow for you.

This kind of man needs more support. he can't do it alone.

#Hon. Toba as a Technocrat:
Hon. Toba started as a banker and rose within short stint to be a manager in one of the branches of UBA in Lokoja. While in that bank, he became the best UBA Banker in Nigeria raking  in more profits from Lokoja than banks in Lagos, Abuja, and other bigger business hubs State across Nigeria. He was celebrated and given an award.

Hon. Toba's wand for value additions is almost incomparable and unmatched. He became Special Adviser on Project Monitoring to GYB, under him Assembly complex took a new form and became a habitable house for proper legislative activities, Revenue House was conceived, SDG was conceived, Lokoja Street lights came to light  and some other major and minor projects were given superb facelift.

#Commissioner for Budget and planning:
For the first time, everyone around the globe could assess Kogi State budget online.

He made sure budgets were presented in record time to Kogi State House of Assembly, passed, signed and it's implementation monitored.

He made sure Government was prudent and its thin resources carefully employed.

#Commissioner for Agriculture:
It was in this ministry Hon. Toba became a pride, bride and cynosure of this present administration.

We all know the State of the Ministry of Agriculture before he came onboard to redefine modus oprandi of the ministry. He quickly set out to work and he was able to :

He attracted Achor borrower's program, for both dry and wet seasons farming to the State. Over 5 thousands farmers benefitted.

He personally supervised the distribution of chemicals and farm inputs to farmers directly, thus making sure intended farmers are the beneficiaries of the program instead of siblings and family members of the Government top guns as we used to have in the first.

He attracted a sugar factory to Kogi State in Ike, Kabba-Bunu and Bass LGAs, Land preparation is ongoing. This will not only boost the fortune of the State in area of revenue, it will create employment and reduce crime.

NNPC is building a biofuel plant in Kogi State. His hardwork and proactiveness ensured smooth approval of the project.

Kogi State has a Greenhouse courtesy of Hon. Toba's initiatives.

Kogi State has 95% completion of Kogi Rice mill in Ejiba

Kogi State has over 40 tractors, procured to boost agricultural activities in the State under him.

He attracted APPEAL - a World Bank project that will inject billions into rice, Cashew and Cassava farming in the State. This will encourage more people to embrace farming and create thousands of jobs. Crime will reduce and money will be put in people's pocket

The past 10 years, Kogi State has never employed Vet Doctors into the State. Under him, 25 Vet Doctors were employed into the State Civil Service.

Hon. Toba is a bundle of ideas and results oriented fellow. Give him an inch  assignment and you'd expect a mile result. With continuous needed support  and will, Hon. Toba will do amazingly well.