Abejide Urged To Fight On Amid Calls To Defect Or Stay Put

Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello and Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila have urged lawmaker Leke Abejide not to abandon his political struggle, while offering differing views on his party future.

The two men spoke in separate goodwill messages at a dinner in Abuja to mark the 50th birthday of Abejide’s wife, Esther Abejide.

Bello called on the lawmaker to return to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), praising his persistence and political trajectory.

He said Abejide had remained committed despite early setbacks in his bid to enter the House of Representatives, eventually securing victory and delivering development projects across his constituency.

Bello also referenced Abejide’s governorship ambition in Kogi State, describing it as a learning phase in high-level politics.

“He did not lose; he only came to learn,” he said.

The former governor said Abejide demonstrated political loyalty by accepting the outcome of the governorship election and supporting the winner, despite pressure from allies to challenge the result in court.

He added that the lawmaker has remained influential both within his constituency and at the national level,even as a member of an opposition party.

Bello further said Abejide had, at different times, worked across party lines in support of the federal government, describing him as a bridge-builder in Nigeria’s political space.

He said consultations among political leaders in Kogi State had led to a collective call for Abejide to return to the APC.

In contrast, Gbajabiamila advised Abejide to remain in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), commending his record of electoral victories on the platform of a relatively smaller party.

“For a man to contest and win repeatedly under a lesser-known platform, it tells you who he is,” he said.

He noted that Abejide first entered the House of Representatives as the sole member elected on the ADC platform, and later helped expand the party’s representation in the state.

Gbajabiamila described him as a committed party loyalist and a “fighter,” urging him to defend the political structure he has built over the years.

“Stay in the ADC. Fight. Hold on to your party … do not allow anyone to take it away from you,” he said.

He also cautioned against calls for the lawmaker to defect, insisting that his continued presence in the ADC was critical to the party’s growth and visibility.

Gbajabiamila further expressed confidence in Abejide’s electoral strength, saying his track record suggests he could continue to win elections under the ADC platform.

He added that political diversity strengthens Nigeria’s democracy, and encouraged the lawmaker to remain steadfast in his convictions.

Abejide represents Yagba Federal Constituency in Kogi State under the ADC and is considered a key figure in the party’s development in the state.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji