Kogi west youths want Akanle to replace Dino in Senate

AS the race towards the 2019 general elections thickened, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State has perfected plans to replace the senator representing Kogi west senatorial district, Dino Melaye in the election.

Melaye was elected on the platform of the APC to represent the district during the 2015 election.

Already notable members of the party from the zone including a retired state director of the State Security Service (SSS), Dr Toyin Akanle, have indicated interest to contest the seat.

Youth organisations from the senatorial district on Monday told newsmen in Lokoja, the state capital, that it was the turn of Yagba federal constituency, where Akanle hailed from to produce the senator.

Speaking under the auspices of the Coalition of Kogi west youths, the coordinator of the group, Ogbeni Babatunde Teidi, said the people of the area had resolved to support Akanle to give the district good representation.

He said, “We the Kogi West Youths have not just decided to come out with one voice in favour of Akanle, we have decided to harmonise our voices in the interest of the constituents of Kogi West senatorial districts. We are well convinced that Akanle is indeed a priority to us all as he holds us to be important as well to him.

“Our coalition has decided and we have spoken what we desire, Akanle is the endorsed candidate of our choice.He has helped in various capacities to the extent of training people that have risen to the post of associates professors and deans in some polytechnics in this country.

The group noted that the former security chief had initiated many programmes that the people of the senatorial district had benefitted from, adding that he had been helping the widows in his community for over 20 years.

He said, “It is a knowledge that almost all the political parties have zoned the Senate seat to Yagba federal constituency and particularly Yagba East that has not been there before. We in this coalition are not politicians but we are for good governance equity and justice.

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“We have forgiven those who have contributed in truncating our much cherished rotational arrangement and advise we begin to correct this anomaly. We, therefore, call on the other senatorial aspirants across the parties to set aside their ambitions and team up with Dr Toyin Akanle for the overall development of Kogi west.”