Abdullahi Ganduje, the national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on electorate in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi to vote for the party in the Nov. 11 governorship elections to continue to enjoy more dividends of democracy.

Mr Ganduje said this when he spoke with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday at the 13th symposium and award presentation of Kogi-based newspaper, Democracy Newsline.

The former governor of Kano State, who was honoured with Personality of the Year Award by the newspaper, was represented by the director of publicity, APC national secretariat, Bala Ibrahim.

Mr Ganduje described the APC candidates as the best coming to work for the development of the people and the states.

“The people of the states should wake up and smell the coffee. They should know that what we are doing at the federal level is going to be replicated at the states.

“For the people of Kogi and Imo, they should look at the kind of dividends they have received from these incumbent governors. The incoming governors of this state will double efforts.

“Imo is going to continue in the hands of Sen. Hope Uzodinma and he has made promises to do beyond what he has done or doing. He is going to do more.

“For the people of Bayelsa, I want them to believe in Timipre Sylva is one person that has been tested and trusted,” he said.

Mr Ganduje added: “For the people of Kogi, the incoming governor will be one that will not fail them. It is a confluence state that is going to join hands with the federal level and see to it that people are made to smile.

“Kogi is not an industrial state, but the blueprint of the incoming governor is that he’s going to industrialize it and make sure that it rubs shoulders with the Federal Capital Territory in a way a manner that people will be happy.”

He expressed confidence that the party would win the three states, saying APC was a party to beat in the Nov. 11 election.

“We have advertised ourselves in a way and manner that we are convinced based on the works we have done in those states with the exception of Bayelsa which is not in our control but will come to our fold after Nov. 11. We are fully prepared,” he said.

Mr Ganduje commended the newspaper for the award given to him and advised media practitioners to continue to discharge their duties with passion, dedication, upholding the truth and ethics guiding journalism.

He said that media practitioners must shun personal interest, remain unbiased and should not be seen to be agents of dissemination of falsehood.

“My appeal to media practitioners is to remain steadfast, remain factual and stand on the path of the truth,” he said.

The chief executive officer of A. F Progressive Ventures Nigeria Ltd, Raphael Arokoyo, also urged the people of Kogi to be peaceful before, during and after the election.

Mr Arokoyo, also a recipient of the newspaper’s Entrepreneur Award of the Year, urged the people to see the November election as opportunity to rewrite the state story in whatever way they wanted it.

“I am not a politician but I think every electorate is entitled to vote a candidate of his or her choice, going by the manifesto, their campaign, their promises to the electorate.

“These are what will justify who gets the chunk of the votes at the end of the day

“In Kogi state, we all know the situation of things. This is a very good opportunity for us to vote our conscience, and the right person in power so that will not repeat another crisis or suffering anymore,” Mr Arokoyo said.

He urged the media to be unbiased, saying its involvement in partisan politics does not really help the democracy.

Mr Arokoyo, also the chairman of Marktot Oil and Gas Ltd., described Democracy Newsline as a media with top-notch publications, even though there was still room for further improvement.

Commending the newspaper for the award, Mr Arokoyo described the award as a challenge for all recipients to do more in any areas they were recognised.

(NAN)