Liberate yourselves from poverty, APC tells Kogi electorate as workers begin total strike Monday

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) , Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on Saturday, urged the people of Kogi to vote out Governor Idris Wada, in order to liberate themselves from poverty and underdevelopment..
Oyegun, who addressed a rally in Lokoja to drum support for the APC governorship candidate, Abubakar Audu, said the election was an opportunity for the people to end years of bad governance in the state.
The APC national chairman, who was accompanied to the rally by national officers of the party, three governors and two deputy governors, called on the people to embrace change and “dump the bad past.”
“The state is still stuck in the failed promises of transformation ,” Oyegun said and stressed that it was time for Kogi people to vote wisely in order to protect the future of their children.
Oyegun said the APC is targeting 80 per cent of the votes during the governorship election, pledging that it would bring about total change in the lives of the people.
In his remarks, Audu promised to work for the progress and development of the state, saying that he was on a rescue mission to save the state from total collapse.
The governorship candidate promised to adhere to the principle of rotation by being the first governor to give effect to the arrangement.
Audu, who was flanked by his deputy, Mr James Faleke, promised to settle all outstanding workers’ salaries and allowances, and ensure justice and equity in the distribution of projects.
Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Tanko Al- Makura (Nasarawa), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso also addressed the rally.
Meanwhile, a total strike to protest the non-release of bail-out fund for the North-Central state by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will begin on Monday.
The state chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), on Saturday, directed Kogi workers to stay off work on Monday and they should not return until the fund has been released.
In a joint statement signed by the State Secretary of the NLC, Mr John Faniyi, and his TUC counterpart, Mr Joseph Kolawole, they expressed dissatisfaction with the non- release of the N50.8 billion bailout fund due to the state.
“This directive is to serve as protest against the non-release of the money.’’
In the statement, the unions said they were surprised over the silence by the CBN and the Federal Government.
While asking workers to fully comply with the order, the labour unions warned commissioners, permanent secretaries, directors and other categories of senior public offices not to report for work to avoid embarrassment.