Kogi Supplementary Polls: Tinubu Rejects Bello, Insists On Faleke

Reports from the camp of the national
leadership of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) have it that there is crisis brewing in
the party.
This is not unconnected to the emergence of
Alhaji Yahaya Bello as the flagbearer of the
party in Saturday’s supplementary election in
the Kogi state following the demise of late
Abubakar Audu, who was leading the election
before his death and inconclusive election.

Leadership reports that while the national
leader of the APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola
Tinubu and a group loyal to him in the party
are insisting that Bello’s name be struck out
for James Faleke, Audu’s running mate, other
party chieftains are insisting on the choice of
Bello as the party’s representative in the
December 5 election.

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu may have rejected
Yahaya Bello as the candidate of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) for Saturday,
December 5 supplementary polls
The party also has until tomorrow to present
a replacement for its late governorship
candidate, for the Kogi supplementary
election as directed by the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Although Bello’s name had been submitted to
INEC late Friday evening, reports emerged
that some strong stakeholders in the APC
want him replaced immediately with Faleke,
who is believed to share the late Audu’s
ideologies.
The former Lagos state governor, Tinubu, a
reliable source informed, is said to favour the
candidacy of Faleke or no one else will step
into the late Audu’s shoes and following the
Jagaban’s stance the party’s national
chairman, Chief John Oyegun argued that
they may end up not having any candidate
for the Kogi supplementary governorship
election. “The argument being canvassed now is that it
should not be Bello because he allegedly
worked against the late Audu’s bid to become
governor. There is so much pressure on us to
withdraw Bello’s candidacy in view of the crisis
that the choice has generated as well as the
fierce protest it is causing in Kogi State.
“Right now, we are at a crossroad because
nothing has divided the party like the choice of
governorship candidate for the Kogi
supplementary poll. Our only saving grace is
that INEC has given the party till Tuesday
(tomorrow) to take a final stand on the matter.
“As we speak, national leader of the party,
Asiwaju Tinubu and his group are insisting on
the withdrawal of Yahaya Bello, while another
group supporting Bello are also kicking that
Bello’s nomination remained. The chairman is
presently confused and threatening to withdraw
Bello’s name and Falake’s thereby leaving the
party without any candidate,” the source, a top
member of the APC, informed.
In a related development, the media aide to
the late former governor, Dr Tom Ohikere has
revealed that the late flagbearer of the APC
in the gubernatorial election, had endorsed
Faleke as his replacement in the event that
he (Audu) does not survive the illness.