Forgive Yahaya Bello by re-electing him, El-rufai begs Kogi electorates

Nasir El-rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, has pleaded with Kogi State electorates to re-elect Yahaya Bello, the state governor for another term in office.

Mr Bello is the flag-bearer of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in the governorship election taking place on Saturday.

He is said to have stepped on  some powerful toes while on his first term in office.

Mr El-rufai pleading on his behalf for forgiveness said no one was prone to making mistakes.

“Many people say Yahaya Bello is young; that he has fought many people. For every one that the governor has offended, I’m asking all of you to forgive him,” El-rufai said while kneeling at a grand finale campaign of the APC in Lokoja, the state capital.

“He is young; he is supposed to make mistakes. When you are young, you make mistakes but you learn from them.

“On his behalf, I’m kneeling down, to beg all of you to forgive Yahaya Bello if he has offended you. He cares about the people of Kogi State. He cares about this state. He has brought progress to this state; he has brought young people and women into government.

“He has cleared salary arrears that he inherited from previous governments. You must all come out to support him. I beg you all. Let us make history. The Late Prince Audu did everything to bring progress to this state. Let us not dishonour his memory by allowing PDP to return to Lugard House,” the Kaduna governor added.

PDP KICKS

Meanwhile, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described the action of El-rufai as a confirmation that the state governor seeking re-election misused the opportunity given to him by the people.

The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, wondered why Governor Bello who committed the alleged offence was standing and watching while El-rufai and the state deputy governor, Philip Shuaibu, knelt down apologizing on his behalf.

“Unfortunately, the apology is coming too late in the day and cannot be accepted by the people of Kogi state, whose lives, Yahaya Bello had turned into a living hell in the last four year,” Mr Ologbondiyan said.

“Moreover, Yahaya Bello openly confirmed that he is irredeemable as he stood without any sign of remorse while El-Rufai and the Edo State deputy governor begged the unimpressed scanty crowd.

“Governor El-Rufai and the APC ought to have counseled Yahaya Bello at the time he was busy suppressing, insulting, abusing and making life unbearable for the people of Kogi state as if there will not be a day of reckoning.

“The irreversible fact is that the day of reckoning has come. The people of Kogi state have moved beyond Yahaya Bello and the APC. They are already moving on with the PDP candidate, Engr. Musa Wada, in their determination for a new order in their state and there is no looking back.

“PDP advises Governor El-Rufai to assist Governor Bello in preparing his handover notes as he will surely face a crushing defeat at the polls, come Saturday November 16th,” the statement added.