Renewed Vision For New Direction Organises One Million Match For Ahmed Usman Ododo
By Abubakar Suleman
The Renewed Vision For New Direction Powered by Hon. Simeon Balogun aka AC Cool has organized a One Million Man Match for the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Ahmed Usman Ododo ahead of the 2023 general election.
The Convener, Hon. Simeon Balogun stated that his Renewed vision for New Direction has decided to put together the one million man match as part of the strategies to actualize the victory of Ahmed Usman Ododo and Joel Oyibo ticket in the forthcoming governorship election.
The event which gradually snowballed into a mega rally witnessed an Unprecedented crowd and assemblage of sea of heads at Muhammadu Buhari civic Centre, Lokoja,Kogi State.
According to him, the programme was aimed at drumming up support for the candidacy of Hon. Ahmed Usman Ododo.
The one million man match grounded the city of Lokoja, as APC members and stakeholders trooped out en masse to drum support for Ododo.
According to Hon.Simeon Balogun, “Ododo’s support is a movement. We don’t have a roll call. We don’t need to know each other. But we believe in our agenda, which is to elect Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo as Kogi State Governor come 2023.
“We took time to study Ahmed before we accepted him. He was the immediate past Accountant-General and he is a very prudent and transparent person.
He expressed satisfaction with the turnout which he described as Unprecedented, “I am highly impressed and all glory must go to God”,he stressed.
He went on to say: “I thank God that kogi people have again spoken to show solidarity for Hon. Ododo, I don’t know how to describe the crowd today but I must thank the almighty God for the overwhelming support for the Incoming Governor because it is also a support for the incumbent Governor, Alh. Yahaya Adoza Bello”
“It’s a support for Ododo, who is the leading and most popular candidate, the choice of Ahmed Ododo is the choice of Kogi people and we said it will be good to organize a a mega rally for him to show how popular he is amongst the populace. So, our Forum came out en-masse and joined hands to have a mass rally to show round the whole city of Lokoja to stage solidarity with the man that we know will be the next governor of kogi State,” he noted.
While speaking at the venue, The Honourable Commissioner for local government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Mohammed Deedat said “In kogi State, the APC stakeholders and entire members have endorsed Ahmed Ododo and they are all canvassing for the realization of his governorship bid but those against are in the minority and I believe they will queue up later ,” he stated.
Hon. Deedat further said the APC has spoken. Since the party has come out openly to accept Ododo as our candidate, we must deliver him in the next election, he said.
In his own words, the Hon. Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Engr. Bashir Gegu Expressed his conviction on the possibility of Ododo becoming a good governor, he said; “He is going to build on the legacies laid down by Governor Yahaya Bello. I want to also tell you that Ododo, I know him very well, I know his pedigree, and our people in kogi State know that this man will be one of the best governors in Nigeria “.
He was emphatic that the APC gubernatorial candidate will perform wonderfully well, describing him as a philanthropist, a team leader, who has been in the system for almost eight years”.
“As I talk with you today, you can verify from the streets of Lokoja and koton-karfe , he is the most popular candidate. There is nowhere you mention his name that people will not say ‘that good man.’ It’s not for me to start telling you what he has done for the people but if you go down to the grassroots, and ask, the downtrodden, they will tell you that this man has touched their lives in one way or the other without being a governor.
“So, if you give him the leadership of the state, he is going to build on the existing infrastructural development that the present administration has put in place in the state. And I know he is going to do better as a governor.
In his response, the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo said, if elected, he will pay serious attention to ensure completion of Ajaokuta steel company, by a way of lobbying the President and National Assembly, considering the enormous economic potentials and the number of jobs it would provide.
”I am that person with requisite experience to represent the youths, and women interest and you will not be disappointed,” he said.
He also assured the people of effective quality health delivery system, health insurance scheme, and the establishment of social welfare for the aged, indigents and Persons Leaving with disability.
He however called on APC members to increase the tempo of their work for the party more than ever before saying we must work harder than before for our victory inorder to bring the youths, Women on board in the new dispensation.
