Kogi Guber Poll, Matters Arising -By Raji Abdulazeez

Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman

Politics is such an interesting game. It is even more interesting when your candidate is winning and it could be frustrating when your candidate is being robbed of victory. The scenario created by the just concluded governorship election in Kogi State has generated a lot of political permutation and deluge of question. First to have the noose tightened around his neck was Alhaji Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

I wish to state categorically clear that the governor elect of Kogi State has a beautiful mission to unfold in the state. On this, I wish to seek the support of all to see that the dreams that we all have for the state would not be jeopardized rather it will begin to grow as a living plant. Let us not quench our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred, let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I believe that Alhaji Yahaya Bello the governor elect of the state will usher in the following to Kogi State; acccountablity; playing advisory role on sensitive matters that will profit the state; oversee and monitor the satisfactory inclusion of all indigenes of the state in the process of good governance.

People should fear God. The demise of Prince Abubakar Audu is enough to teach people lesson. I am from Kogi State and an active stakeholder in the politics of the state. Faleke was never with us when we did membership registration of this party. We never had a governor from the APC. We never had commissioners, no member of National Assembly, it was those who wanted to contest elections who were funding the party and sustained members of the party including my humble self. Even from the registration exercise to the conduct of our congresses, Hon. Faleke was never around. Let me tell you something, 27 persons bought governorship nomination forms along with Prince Audu and contested the governorship primaries, including Alhaji Yahaya Bello. All these people went round the whole state, the nooks and crannies, soliciting support from the delegates. They spent their resources and time. There was no consultation with party leaders from the Central, East and the West before his emergence. And we took the whole thing in good faith. All of us rallied round him and we supported him. We went round with him to all the places and gathered the votes. There was no point for Faleke to start agitating for the governorship position in the first place. What Faleke contested for was the deputy governorship position. So, why is he suddenly agitating to become the governor? Faleke should be grateful to God and respect party supremacy.

I feel that Hon. Faleke should look at where he is coming from, he should look at how the party was lenient with him even when he did not work for it. I feel that by now, Faleke should have accepted and believed that it is the will of God. He should not allow his desperado to expose him. What is paramount to us is for Kogi to move forward. Look at how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rendered us hopeless by making the state underdeveloped for 16 solid years. Anybody who has the interest of Kogi at heart at this time will drop every selfish ambition and rally round Alhaji Yahaya Bello. The party has taken a very wonderful position because the party has looked at all the legal grounds and the safest path to thread is to stick to what the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) directed.

The INEC requested for substitution of the late governorship candidate and the best option was to pick the second runner up in the last primaries. According to the Minister of Justice, Malami, it all depends on the appreciation of issues arising from that primaries conducted before the death of Prince Audu. There was a first and a second candidate in that primaries that had taken place over time which had not by anyway been nullified and it is recognised by law. Therefore there is no constitutional protection for Faleke to take the governorship seat. Otherwise the PDP will just go to court and take the mandate.

–Abdulazeez sent in this piece from Abuja