Kogi Chairman of Labour party, Mr Suleiman Abdul Ahmed, has confirmed that the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi and his running Mate, Dr. Datti Ahmed will hold their campaign rally in the State on Tuesday.
He said the rally will hold in spite of the denial of the party the permit to use of the Lokoja Confluence stadium by the state government without official reasons.
The candidates, the National Party Chairman Julius Abure and the General Secretary Alh. Umar Farouk Ibrahim, and other officials, party bigwigs are among those expected to address the rally.
Addressing a news conference in Lokoja on Monday ahead of the campaign, Kogi LP Chairman, said the state government has denied the party permit for use of confluence stadium as venue for the rally.
Ahmed said despite the ‘deliberate’ frustrations by the state government, which increased the fees for the use of venue from N250,000 to N1.5m, the Labour Party in the state was prepared to pay the ‘outrageous amount’, but the government refused to grant permit for use of the stadium, at the dying minute.
There has been no reaction from kogi state government to the denial of access to the proposed venue despite repeated calls to the state officials.
But Kogi Labour Party Chairman, said alternative venue with wider space has been secured for the campaign rally disclosing that party supporters and loyalists from the 21 Local Government Areas, have been mobilized for the programme.
“Our right to the use of the venue has been denied and infringed on by the government in power without any official reasons, but as a popular party in the state, we are not deterred by this fragrant abuse of power. If those in power today, were given the same treatment when they were seeking election in the state during the previous administration, they wouldn’t have been in power today.”
Mr Ahmed says it is an act of cowardice for the ruling party to frustrate the opposition adding that, “In Ankpa federal constituency, comprising Omala, Ankpa and Olamaboro LGAs, the posters of labour party candidates have been destroyed completely by thugs. It’s a lamentable situation, but we are not deterred because our victory is assured, and we have the people firmly behind us to gain victory over our opponents.”
“Support groups and lovers of the presidential candidate are enjoined to file out in their numbers to receive their beloved presidential candidate Dr Peter Obi who has the ‘big’ political clout and growing popularity among Nigerians across the political divide to lead Nigeria from woes to glory and with the sustained goodwill of the entire country, Obi will rebuild Nigeria of our collective dream.”
The chairman assured party members that all preparations for the event have been put in place as he called on party members and supporters across the state to turn out in their numbers to receive the campaign train.
