2023: Ijumu Assures of Massive votes for APC, as the party rounds up ward and community tour
By Sunday Ajayi – Kabba
Ahead of the general elections coming up this month and second Saturday of March this year, the people of Ijumu Kingdom have promised to vote massively to elect all candidates of the ruling All Progressive Congress in Presidential, Senatorial, House of Reps and State Assembly seats stressing that they have more stake in the party considering the fact that, their son, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke is the Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council which will attract tangible development to the area.
This was disclosed during the ward and community tour of the local government which was led by the Council Chairman who doubles as the Kogi ALGON Chairman, Hon. Isah Taufiq and his counterpart in Kabba/Bunu local government, Hon. Moses Olorunleke, accompanied by Hon. Funsho Olumoko, Director General of APC Campaign in Ijumu, Hon Richard Osaseyi, GM Kogi State Signage and Advertisement Agency and Mrs Folashade Joseph, MD, Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation and other stakeholders.
The campaign which took them round Gbede-Ijumu communities provided ample opportunities for interface with the people at the grassroots to canvass votes for the party. The interaction yielded positive results as the majority of the electorates across these various communities reached promised to vote massively for the ruling party, considering the personalities and credibility of the candidates from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that of the Senate, Kogi West, Hon. Sunday Karimi, Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Matthew Kolawole and Ijumu State Constituency, Hon. Omotayo Adeleye Ishaya.
Hon Taufiq said APC is a party that believes in fairness, equity and justice as demonstrated by Governor Yahaya Bello who has bring to a halt class system of ethnicity or religious bigotry from the first day he assumed duty as the leader of the state, hence Ijumu people will not do otherwise than to vote massively for Hon. Sunday Karimi who hails from Yagba Federal Constituency that has been yearning for the position for close to two decades.
He said it will be unfair for anyone in the Federal Constituency to contest for the Senate after 16yrs of Ijumu dominating the seat in the Red Chambers, stressing that it is time to give Yagba Federal Constituency a chance.
He described Matthew Kolawole’s candidature as a round peg in a round hole considering his experience and sagacious performance as a two-term Speaker who distinguished himself, having worked harmoniously with the Executive that engendered the execution of massive projects across the state. His emergence to fly the flag of the party is a pathway to victory for the party in the Constituency.
He appealed to Ijumu people to show more understanding and vote for APC, stressing that, there was no where he sat to discuss any agenda called Ijumu agenda with anyone, pointing that someone cannot fail in his party’s primary and return to wield sentiment of agenda when in the true sense of it, it is Ijumu Arin that should be the next beneficiary of the rotation arrangement when the time comes.
He stressed the need to break the jinx of having the first female lawmaker from Ijumu, describing the Ikoyi born politician, Hon. (Mrs) Omotayo Adeleye Ishaya as a versatile and well articulate Individual, endowed with solomonic wisdom to represent the people at the state level in the 8th Assembly.
He said there is need for concerted efforts to encourage the women folks to get involved in active politics in Ijumu, hence the party decided to give her the ticket to take Ijumu to greater heights being an offspring of one of Ijumu’s patriots who dedicated all his life to work for the overall development of the area when alive.
Also speaking, Hon. Funsho Olumoko commended Hon. Isah Taufiq for holding fort while he was not around, pointing out that people who think himself and the Chairman will not work together are only mischievous because the two of them have come a long way as politicians.
He said there is joy in working together to achieve greater results that will be more beneficial to the people, pointing out that there is no conflict at all having Alhaji Taufiq Isah to take charge of Gbede axis while he holds Ijumu Arin axis and another person in Ijumu Oke for the APC to win effortlessly.
He charged all party members to return home for the door to door campaign which is more effective in winning any elections across the world, stressing that the campaign tour is only for funfare but the real work lies in the door to door interaction for the party to have overwhelming victory in the elections.
He said himself and the group will continue to work for the good of the Ijumu people to promote the overall development of the area.
Hon. Sunday Karimi, Matthew Kolawole and Omotayo Ishaya in their separate remarks, commended the leadership qualities of both Chairmen having agreed to lead the campaigns which they have done successfully and pledged not to let them down in their future political adventure.
According to them, they are overwhelmed with their dedication and commitment towards the campaign activities which has shaped the popularity of the party in the Federal Constituency since the activities commenced a few weeks ago, noting that they will continue to work with them to achieve better development for the area.
Kabba/Bunu local government Chairman, Hon. Moses Olorunleke charged the people of Okunland to love themselves and also be ready to support and cooperate with anyone ordained by God to lead at any given time, as that is one of the ways the entire zone can move forward.
He said sentiment should be set aside in the collective pursuit of the common good of Okun nation, saying politics should be used to unite the people not to separate them by promoting personal hatred among the people.
Other people in the campaign train include, Mrs Shade Joseph, MD, Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation, Hon Richard Osaseyi, Hon. Seyi Bello, APC Candidate for Kabba/Bunu State Constituency, Hon. Adesayo Ismail, DG Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Campaign Council, Hon. Folusho Braimo, Deputy Director General, Kabba/Bunu, Hon. Cornelius Olowo, Deputy Director General, Ijumu, Party Structures in the two local governments, State and local government appointees and other stakeholders etc.
Community visited include, Araromi, Okoro, Agrigbon, Ayeh, Aiyegunle -Ohon, Iyah, Iluagba, Aiyetoro and Odokoro Communities in Gbede axis
