In my last write up, I specifically named three persons that may take the place
of Prince Abubakar Audu in the Kogi gubernatorial elections of November 21th.
In my last write up, I specifically named three persons that may take the place of Prince Abubakar Audu in the Kogi gubernatorial elections of November 21th. The summation of my analysis was that, for APC to toe the line of equity, fairness and justice, sentiments placed aside, it should be a Faleke / Muhammed Audu’s ticket, because it’s a Audu/ Faleke ticket. Days later, the media was awash with news of the endorsement of Mohammed Audu as the party flag bearer by elders of the eastern extract but that was not to see the light of the day, as many argued on his inexperience. It was expected that APC as a party would act as advised by INEC to run a new primaries that will usher in Faleke / Mohammed, but the reverse was the case. Everything have taken a newer dimension.
To the surprise of many and expectations of few, of the three that I predicted, Alhaji yahaya Bello (Fairplus) having come 2nd position in the primary election has been nominated to INEC by the APC. Sahara Reporter reported it that “After extensive consultations” the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday submitted the name of Yahaya Bello as the party’s new candidate for Kogi governorship supplementary poll, jettisoning the initial option put forward to them to hold a primary election. it is believed that while an election is still valid, holding a new primary election will be illegal and the output of such will be decleare dnull and void by any law court, which is the only institution vested with the authority to invalidate any election.
“The question is, has Yahaya Bello ever been in politics or held any political office to justify him heading one who has been in main stream politics of a place as complex as Lagos state?”
This decision has raised a lot of dust within the party, where some believed that Yahaya bello is reaping where he did not sow, having abandoned, the party after he lost the primary election to Prince Abubakar Audu, he vanished into the thin air. Some speculated that he worked against the party in the general election which was evident from the landslide victory the PDP got from his place. As at press time, pressure is mounting on Hon James Faleke to reject the deputy governorship position. Unconfirmed reports that reached us within the hour has it that, Abiodun James Faleke has abdicated the deputy governorship position. If that is true, where does it leave the people from the west? Would they not be completely alienated from power?
It is believed that powerful forces from the presidency worked against Faleke’s ticket. Some are of the opinion that it was because he is a Christian but one of the serious excuses for picking Yahaya Bello ahead Faleke is that Faleke is strange to the politics of the state, having had most of his political career in Lagos. They felt it is better for him to learn the ropes in the state before becoming a governor. The question is, has Yahaya Bello ever been in politics or held any political office to justify him heading one who has been in main stream politics of a place as complex as Lagos state?
A different source said: “There are many options open to Faleke but the people of Kogi West want him to withdraw from the race. If Yahaya Bello gets the ticket, he might be reduced to a dummy deputy governor.
“Unless Faleke can fight his cause in court and claim his mandate, he will be frustrated as a deputy governor. If he quits, the party will have justification for bringing Mohammed Audu and Kogi West will be politically alienated.” Whichever way it goes, we haven’t seen the end of this constitutional logjam and confusion that we are currently trying to proffer solutions to, it will all end in litigation and the court will settle the dust that has been raised, let us just hope, we do not have to go through the rigors of another fresh election!
Williams Charles
A Political Critique & Social Commentator
wlmcharles@yahoo.co.uk
