The Chairman of the Action Democratic Congress in Kogi State, John Adaji has debunked media reports that he defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, ahead of the forthcoming November 11 governorship election in the state.
Adaji who described the news as fake, while addressing a crowd of supporters at a campaign rally in Okehi and Adavi Local Government Area of the state on Saturday, said his impostor who had been expelled from the party a long time ago, made the false claim.
The ADC Chairman however called on the general public to disregard the report, noting that the ADC did not collapse its structure for another political party in the state.
”I stand here before you live and direct, that I am the authentic Chairman of the ADC in Kogi State. There can’t be two captains in one ship and here I am with you and with our governorship candidate, Elder Leke Abejide.
“I also assured that the ADC structure is intact. The man who claimed to be Chairman and said he had decamped to the APC has been expelled from the ADC a long time ago,” he said.
Adaji further added that “The impostor, who is behind the fake news, had been suspended by the executives of ADC at his Ogga/Omi/Odo-Ara ward in Yagba West LGA for anti-party activities and embezzlement of funds.
“His suspension was ratified at the local government level and forwarded to the State Working Committee, which did the same and forwarded to the National Working Committee which ratified the decisions of the party from the ward to local government and state levels. He was subsequently expelled from the party in October, last year.”
Similarly, a former Chairman, of Okehi local government and the Director General of Leke Abejide/Idris Omede Governorship Campaign Council of the ADC, Adagu Suberu described the composition of the ADC leadership in Kogi State as a coalition of former stalwarts of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party.
Subaru claimed that the party supporters had revolted against the ruling party as a repayment of its anti-people policies, including the payment of percentage salaries to local government workers and primary school teachers in the state.
“The Igala were in power for 19 years but in 2015, by God’s design, power transited to us in Ebiraland which produced Yahaya Bello. In 2019, he said he wanted a second term, and he got it.
” In 2023, equity demands that power go to our brothers in Kogi West. But when you go and pick another Ebira candidate, this is where I departed as an APC stalwart. Okun will produce the next governor of Kogi State. Okun lokan, Leke Abejide lokan.
“Ebira people are not greedy. Okun people and Ebira people have something in common. When it comes to power shifts, I am aware that our leaders from West and Central sat together to reason that having access to power by each zone will bring even development.
“We do not have a reason to carry daggers, knives, or guns to kill people. Power transition through peaceful rotation is achievable. That is what you see in other states, and where they have peaceful transition” he stated.
While speaking during the event, the Governorship candidate of ADC, Abejide promised to revisit the civil service screening exercise embarked upon by the Yahaya Bello administration, if elected.
According to him, is to reabsorb workers wrongly dismissed from the service, complimented with full benefits of their salary arrears.
“We will put an end to the ungodly payment of between 17-25 per cent of salaries as many Kogi State civil servants have fallen Ill or died out of frustration. While schools in five LGAs are already beneficiaries of free WAEC fees which I started six years ago, the gesture will be extended to public schools of other LGAs across the state,” he said
