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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the November 2023 Kogi State governorship election, Dino Melaye has accused the ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC) of causing division among his people.
Dino, who is a former lawmaker, made the allegation while appearing on a live programme on Arise News TV, claiming that the APC government had caused a lot of disunity in the state.
He said, unlike previous administrations, the present government of Governor Yahaya Bello has propagated inequality among the people of the state.
According to him, this has led to a clamour for several ethnic agendas among the residents.
He said, “Basically I would say it’s a very important election for all the people of Kogi State because right now we live in perilous times. Kogi State is like an evil forest that needs instantaneous redemption. That needs amelioration that needs correction. That needs palliation. We need a Messiah.
“By the grace of God, I will be instrumental in ameliorating the problems of our state. It’s never been this bad in the history of our state. We are first more divided than at any other time in our state’s history. I have never heard Igala agenda, Okun agenda or Igbira agenda.
“Abubakar Audu became the governor of the state; he campaigned through the instrumentality of his party and APP at the time, and then he used the party to win elections. Nobody was talking about in Igala agenda If Ibrahim Idris became the governor of the state; there was no Igala agenda. All he preached was PDP.
“Governor Wada also became governor; there was no Igala agenda, but the APC has completely polarized the state. They’ve divided us as a people. There is serious disunity in the state. There is now agenda here, agenda there, and by the special grace of God, what we are coming from PDP to do is first to unite us as a people. And that is why I have, as a slogan of my campaign – One Kogi, One Destiny – because we are one people, and by the grace of God, we will remain one united, indivisible people.”
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that the forthcoming election in the state will be keenly contested by 22 candidates.
The final list published by the electoral body and signed by the Acting Secretary to the Commission, U. F. Usman, noted that 22 candidates would contest for the governorship seat in the state alongside their deputies.