Nov 11 guber polls: Atiku urges Imo, Kogi, Bayelsa residents to vote PDP candidates

<p>The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar, has urged the people of Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states to come out en masse and vote for the party’s governorship candidates on Saturday.</p>, <p>Atiku urged the electorate to use the November 11 gubernatorial elections to defeat anti-democratic forces, stressing that the polls in the three states are not about political godfathers.</p>, <p>DAILY POST reports that Dino Melaye is PDP’s governorship candidate in Kogi State, Governor Douye Diri is the party’s candidate in Bayelsa State, while Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu is flying the party’s flag in Imo State.</p>, <p>However, Atiku said despite the groundswell of dissatisfaction and resentment about how the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) walked back on the promise of transparency in the last general elections, the shortcoming is not enough reason to give up on Nigeria’s democracy.</p>, <p>A statement by Atiku said: “Despite our disappointments, I urge us all to derive wisdom in the immortal saying of former US President James Monroe that, “the best form of government is that which is most likely to prevent the greatest sum of evil.”</p>, <p>“Our objective of defeating anti-democratic elements in our polity cannot be successful if we refuse to go out enmasse to cast our ballot on Election Day.</p>, <p>“And, that is why, I am appealing to the good people of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states to come out in large numbers this Saturday to vote for the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party in those respective elections.</p>, <p>“In Bayelsa State, Governor Duoye Diri has given a good account of himself as a leader who is directly responsible to the people. His giant strides in the areas of infrastructure and social development speak volumes about how his government has been able to touch the lives of the people positively.</p>, <p>“In Kogi, Senator Dino Melaye has shown great capacity to stand on the side of the people and, by so doing, usi