Yemi Adebowale
Mustapha Audu, one of the sons of the two-time former governor of Kogi State, the late Prince Abubakar Audu has called on Kogi indigenes to join him for a peaceful protest on Wednesday against what he called plans by a “cabal” to stand justice on its head in the Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a chat on Monday with our reporter, Mustapha accused the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief John Odigie Oyegun and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal of plans to manipulate the democratic process that produced his late father as the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in Kogi State.
According to Mustapha, “Oyegun and the SGF are working hand in hand to give the ticket to Yahaya Bello, a man who did not even participate in the process. Is that fair? What is Oyegun and the SGF’s interest in Kogi State? My late father gave his all to this election and ended up paying the supreme sacrifice. They tried and tried to stop him from being the candidate of the party and even in death they are still fighting him.”
Mustpaha said he believes if anyone should benefit from his late father’s mandate, it should not be Yahaya Bello. “Faleke who was the running mate to my dad should be given the mandate, not Yahaya Bello who was not even on the ticket. It’s absurd. It’s total injustice and Oyegun is pushing this for his selfish reasons. We are aware he is doing this because Bello gave him N100 million to inherit Audu’s mandate. Does he not fear God? Is he not aware he is an old man and is closer to his grave?” he queried.
“I am calling on everyone who believed in the struggle ofmy late father to join me in a peaceful protest to the Senate President on Wednesday. We will be marching to the Senate President Bukola Saraki. We are asking him to call the National Chairman of APC and the SGF and ask them what is their interest in Kogi State because Kogi State will be thrown into an unprecedented political crisis if this injustice is allowed to prevail. As I am talking to you there are riots in Lokoja and parts of Kogi State, people are unhappy”, he said.
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has unveiled Alh. Yahaya Bello, popularly known as Fair Plus as the replacement for the late Prince Abubakar Audu. It would be recalled that Alh. Yahaya Bello was runner-up in the APC governorship primaries that produced the late Prince Abubakar Audu as governorship candidate.
Unveiling Bello at the National Headquarters of the party in Abuja, Monday after about 3 hours of meeting, the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun urged party leaders and stakeholders to accept the decision of the party leadership and ensure the party become victorious in Saturday’s supplementary poll.
The party also announced that Hon James Abiodun Faleke will be Bello’s running mate but the former Chairman of Ikeja Local Government Area rejected the offer.
Faleke who was running mate to projected winner of the Kogi State governorship elections, Abubakar Audu, has picked Audu’s son, Mohammed Audu, as his new running mate. Audu and Faleke were in the lead in the initial polls before the former’s death on November 22. Mohammed was initially chosen to take his father’s place but was replaced with Yahaya Bello at the last minute.
The atmosphere around the national secretariat of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Abuja was tense on Monday following a clash between supporters of Yahaya Bello and Hon. James Faleke.
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