TheCable

Edward Onoja, chief of staff to Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi state, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) won all the 25 seats in the state assembly because it did not impose candidates on the people.

In a statement, Mohammed Onogwu, chief press secretary to Bello, quoted Onoja as saying the party was also quick to resolve disputes that emanated from the primary polls.

The chief of staff was the director-general of the APC campaign council in the state.

“Those who did not make it at the primaries were quickly engaged in sincere dialogue with the party leadership and they shelved their ambitions, joined the winners of the primaries and worked collectively for the success of the party,” he said.

“This is the principle of every body is important within the party. In Kogi state, governance and politicking had an unbroken chain of network from the very top to the unit level where the actions of winning or losing elections takes place.

“We put in place effective networking in a very transparent and open manner. When the leader of the party gives directions, it goes down to the least unit within the party, no one was left behind in the scheme of things.

“The excos of our party in the state are made up of people with proven integrity and capacity that emerged through transparent party congress. So, there are people with commitment and determination to drive electioneering campaign that has resulted in our victory today.”

On his part, Abdullahi Bello, state party chairman, said the victory of APC at the polls were clear indications that the party was more positioned for any electoral contest in the state.

The chairman said the party had given them a new lease of life and a departure from what has been happening since the returned to democracy in Nigeria.