Protesters in their hundreds stormed the Kogi State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat in Lokoja and disrupted the Presidential campaign visit of Senator Bukola Saraki.
The protesters, armed with various placards and inscriptions which read: ‘No to Imposition’; ‘Don’t Impose Dino On Us’; ‘Allow Free, Fair Primaries’; ‘Kogi is not Kwara’.
The protesters, who came from Kogi West Senatorial District of the state, were said to have fingered the Senate President in giving automatic ticket to Senator Dino Melaye, for the forthcoming general election.
According to the spokespersons of the protesters, Stephen Segun Aina and Aisha Jibril said the imposition of Senator Melaye on the District without a primary election would affect the fortunes of the PDP in the District.
They lamented that the automatic ticket allegedly granted the serving senator who recently returned to the PDP on the orders of the Senate President was unacceptable to the people of the Zone.
The youths said they have embarked on the protest to register their anger on the Senate President Bukola Saraki who allegedly worked for the imposition of Dino Melaye on the PDP in the state.
According to the spokesperson, the automatic ticket has already knocked out four other aspirants stressing that the action of National Working Committee, in connivance with the Senate President was unfair and unjust to the people of the zone.
The protesters called on the Senate President to think of the survival of the PDP in the state, urged for a reversal of the decision, and allow free and fair primaries for all the qualified aspirants.
While speaking to the delegates of the PDP, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, said his aspiration to be the next President of Nigeria is borne out of the need to make the country work again.
The Senate President promised to improve on the wellbeing of Nigerians, lamented that the present administration has failed woefully in meeting its change agenda.
He therefore solicited the support of delegates from Kogi State to enable him meet the yearning and aspiration of Nigerians.
