From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja and Paul Orude Bauchi
An unprecedented crowd welcomed the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar to Lokoja, the Kogi state capital yesterday.
Atiku campaign visit turned the state capital upside down as every member of the opposition party and its huge supporters trooped into the 30,000 seating capacity of the Confluence Stadium, which was filled to the brim.
Hours before the arrival and departure of the presidential candidate and his entourage to the state capital, the traffic gridlock in major streets of the city was notably unusual due to the inflow of people from all the 21 local government areas of the state.
Addressing the mammoth crowd, the obviously happy Atiku said if voted into power, he would make sure he completes the Lokoja Dry Port to open maritime activities to people in the state and the northern part of the country.
He said the nightmare over the completion of the gigantic Ajaokuta Steel Company would become a thing of the past as he would ensure its speedy completion, which he said will open up the economy and create employment opportunities for the youths.
Atiku expressed surprise that while coming from Obajana to Lokoja for the mega rally he saw scores of youths walking along the streets doing nothing, saying if given the opportunity, PDP will wipe out poverty from the country.
In his own speech, the PDP presidential running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa urged the people of the state to vote enmasse for all the PDP candidates in the February election so as to put an end to backlog of salary arrears in the state.
Meanwhile, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed has urged members of the PDP in the state to vote for the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar. The call is coming amidst media reports that he was working against Atiku, an allegation that the state chapter of the PDP has denied.
Mohammed, in company with his wife and other party and government officials while speaking during his campaign flag off at Gamawa and Zaki local government areas said Atiku was the best option and called his supporters to vote for Atiku massively during the general election
The governor declared that the PDP remains the only political party that can salvage the nation from its present situation.
He urged Nigerians who are eligible to vote to massively vote for the presidential candidate of the PDP.