President Bola Tinubu has charged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure that the forthcoming off-season gubernatorial poll goes smoothly in the affected states.
President Tinubu, who gave the advise on Thursday while presenting the APC’s flags to the candidates of the party in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi states, also said he is confident the party will do well in the November 11 elections.
Those that received the party’s flags are Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo, who is seeking a re-election; Timipre Sylva for Bayelsa and Usman Ododo for Kogi State.
Addressing the candidates before giving them the flags, the President said ”I want to thank the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, who is working hard to ensure the handover to our elected candidate, Usman Ododo.
“We are happy to have Hope Uzodinma, the great hope of our party and the chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum. Thank you for the good job you are doing.
”Timipre Sylva congratulations on what you have achieved as a former governor and former minister.
”We are all facing the crusade for democracy, particularly in this time of elections. It is our hope and we have Hope Uzodinma as a candidate, that we will always come out victorious.
”I want to thank the active national leadership of our NWC and our hardworking Chairman. He is doing a good job and I thank him very much”, he said.
Shortly before handing the flags out to each candidate, President Tinubu again said ”all I am pleading is for free and fair elections. I believe we will do well”.
The event, which held inside the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja, had in attendance the National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), and some guests of the candidates.
Speaking earlier, APC National Chairman commended the President for endorsing the candidates and for taking time out of his busy schedule to present the flags to them.
According to Ganduje: “In order to fulfill all the arrangements and the regulations, INEC has already provided a timetable and the election is holding on 11th November 2023. Therefore, APC as a ruling party, has produced it’s gubernatorial candidates.
“We visited the three states and inaugurated the campaign councils. Today, Mr President has given his endorsements and also provided the flags to the three gubernatorial candidates”.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
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