~ Recieves thousands of defectors from APC, PDP, other political parties
~ Vow to compensate victims of Boko Haram insurgency in his first 100 days
Activities in Hong town yesterday came to a halt as the Gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Dr. Umar Ardo staged a grand entry to kick off the campaign of Ahmed Yerima Sa’ad, the house of representatives candidate of the party vying to represent Hong/Gombi federal constituency.
It took the long motorcade of the Gubernatorial hopeful hours to move from Pella junction to Hong town because movement became extremely difficult as traders, market women and youths abandon their activities to join the campaign train.
Ecstatic youth and women who turned the event to a carnival were seen chanting pro Ardo slogans like “Adamawa sai Ardo, “Adamawa Sai Farin Doki” and “we will never allow corrupt individuals and political parties to rule us again.”
The Hong rally which was slated to kick off by 2:00pm started three hours later following delays which the motorcade of the gubernatorial hopeful encountered along the road as cheering and enthusiastic supporters accosted it at virtually every town and village along the stretch of the road.
Enthusiastic residents of Gombi town have to momentarily hijack the motorcade and diverted it to the town where a mini rally took place with cheering crowd hailing and praying for the success of the Gubernatorial candidate.
Addressing the mammoth crowd of supporters, Ardo pledged to entrench an incorruptible, responsive and people’s oriented government if voted to rule the state.
He urged the people to vote out APC and PDP because they are responsible for the present quagmire Nigeria has found itself in adding adding that he will purge the state from its biggest enemy which is corruption.
“The only way we can fight Boko Haram, banditry, armed robbery and all forms of crimes in our polity is by fighting corruption. There is no way we can fight such scourges as long as one man can steal what will benefit millions of people.
“PDP and APC have hoisted prebendal regimes that become the Hallmark of primitive and insatiable stealing setting Nigeria at a tipping point. We can no more have the luxury of having any one of them close to the corridors of power,” Ardo said.
He promised to compensate the victims of Boko Haram insurgency just as he pledged to create a new commission for the orphans and widows.
“In the aftermath of the debilitating Boko Haram insurgency the government has not deemed it fit to compensate the victims. The government did not even deemed it right to constitute a committee to ascertain the level of loses you incurred let alone making any effort at compensation.
“If you give me your mandate, I will institute an inquest to ascertain the people and properties lost from Liman Kara up to Garkida so that compensation could be effected. I will make sure compensation is given even for a pin lost during the insurgency in my first 100 days in power,” he said.
The Gubernatorial hopeful said he will ensure the completion of Jimeta stadium that has been in the works for more than 35 years and will build a mini stadium in each of the 21 local governments of the state so as to make sports a source of livelihood for the teeming sea of youth.
Ardo also promised to utilize the various endowments of the state like economic trees, Benue valley and the litany of mineral resources to create sustainable wealth for the state. He also pledged to make cooking gas and kerosene affordable and accessible in the state just as he promised to ensure the formation of trade cooperatives that will receive support from government to make businesses thrive in the state.
In his speech, the house of representatives candidate of the party vying to represent Gombi/Hong federal constituency, Ahmed Yerima Sa’ad thanked the people for the overwhelming support they accorded his party.
He expressed optimism that with such support, he is sure of victory as the right to elect leaders is squarely a responsibility of the people not political gerrymanders.
Speaking on behalf of the thousands of defectors, a former chairman of Hong local government, Eric Dollars said with the people’s solidarity, the end of PDP and APC is in the horizon.
“We must say no to APC and PDP for denying us education, security, peace, infrastructure, good economy et all,” he said.
Also speaking the senatorial candidate of Adamawa central, Ibrahim Ahidjo thanked the people of Hong for the honour done to SDP adding that they will never regret electing SDP.
