Date: 2018-11-14

Seven political parties on Tuesday agreed to work for the All Progressives Congress in Saturday’s bye-election for the Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency seat of Kwara State.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the seat became vacant following the death, recently, of Funke Adedoyin who had represented the constituency.

The political parties were led by their leaders to adopt the APC candidate, Mr. Raheem Olawuyi, at a ceremony in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.

The seven political parties are Peoples Progressives Party, National Action Council and New Progressives Movement.

Others are Peoples Redemption Party, National Democratic Liberty Party, National Conscience Party and the United Democratic Party.

A leader of PPP in the state, Mr. Kayode Banji, described Olawuyi as "a trusted and reliable progressive who shares the same principles and ideals" of his party.

He said that the party decided to pitch tent with the APC because of its progressive political ideology, adding that Olawuyi remains the candidate to beat

Banji also expressed the belief that the bye-election would be free, fair and credible, promising that PPP would deliver votes for the APC in line with the alliance.

A leader of the NPM, Mr. Samson Olaitan, on his part, said that his party decided to adopt the APC candidate because of his previous outstanding record in progressive politics.

He urged all progressives to support Olawuyi, adding that the APC remained the best option in the bye-election. Earlier, Olawuyi had commended the seven political parties for their unparalleled show of love and solidarity with the progressive movement.

"I appreciate this gesture and I believe we are all progressives that should work together to chase out our common enemy in the state," he said.

The APC candidate promised to run an all-encompassing administration where all stakeholders would have a

sense of belonging in moving the constituency forward. (NAN).