The Kogi East All Progressive Congress (APC) stakeholders, have passed a Vote of Confidence on Gov. Ahmed Ododo of Kogi, appealing for an audience with him toward strengthening the party.

The stakeholders stated this at a media chat with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, saying that the interface was to provide feedback and seek for direction on ways forward.

This, according to them, is critical toward strengthening the party to continue its hold as the ruling party in the state.

Mr Isah Daniel, the pioneer state Vice-chairman of the party, however, expressed concern over the depletion of party members, particularly in Kogi East due to the activities of the opposition.

He stressed the need for a massive grassroots membership drive to swell the membership fold of the party.

“As critical stakeholders, it is necessary to come together to adopt what I described as an ‘operational political victory module’ so that we can come out victorious in subsequent and future elections.

“In achieving what is before us and to consolidate our party on ground, we need an interface with Gov. Ododo for possible directive and feedback.

“We will be doing this by consulting stakeholders at all levels for their contribution for the party to remain a winning party in the state,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Bala Zakari, a stakeholder blamed the depletion of the membership of the party on the crises that came with the victory of the party at the Nov.16 2023 governorship election in the state.

“There are a lot of defections from the party after the election.

“So, we are coming together to help our party; to help our government and remobilise, sensitise, and talk to our people.

“This is so that those who defected from the party will come back and for those who were not our members before to join us. This is because APC is a progressive democratic party,” he said.

Also, Sen. Emmanuel Ocheja, said that in spite of the membership challenge facing the party, Ododo has had performed beyond expectations.

Ocheja, who represented Kogi East at the Senate between 2011 and 2015, commended the governor for reaching out to stakeholders across different parties to come together to develop the state.

“Ododo has begun his stewardship on a very good footing.

“He has started visiting top political stakeholders across the different parties in the state, like the former governor Ibrahim Idris and former governor Idris Wada among others.

“He is bringing people together and reconciling even the warring factions in Kogi and we welcome and encourage him to keep on with what he has started.

“If he continues with what he is doing now, there will not be any other party in Kogi but APC,” he said.

Another stakeholder, retired Major-General Patrick Akpa, lauded the governor for addressing insecurity, in spite of sharing boundaries with 10 states.

Akpa described security as simply ‘safety and freedom from danger’, and commended the governor for establishing Forward Operational Based to make residents feel safe.

He also lauded the governor for supporting the state vigilance group with operational vehicles and motorcycles.

He appealed to the governor to extend the same gesture to the Kogo East Neighbourhood Watch, established at district level as a self-help approach to tackle insecurity.

On his part, a former Minister of State for Labour, Prof. Stephen Ocheni, said that Ododo was doing very well in addressing workers and pensioners welfare and urged him to continue.

Another stakeholder, Mr Moses Abdullahi, assured of the continued support of the party’s stakeholders in Kogi East for the success of the party. (NAN)