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In a desperate move to outwit his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and emerge the substituted candidate for late Abubakar Audu, the deputy governorship candidate in the inconclusive election in Kogi State, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, has concluded plans to seek the face of the court.
Faleke’s anger and protest follows the picking of his rival and first runner up in the APC governorship primaries in the state, Yahaya Bello, popularly known as Fairplus, by the party on Monday evening as the substitute candidate for the late Audu.
Audu, candidate of the APC in the Kogi governorship election, died penultimate Sunday before final collation of the votes in the exercise could be done. The election was declared inconclusive even though Audu led his closest rival and governor of the state, Idris Wada, with over 40,000 votes.
Since his death, Faleke, who was his running mate and alleged godson to National Leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, had battled the party to declare him as the one to inherit the votes of the late Audu since he was the running mate. He, on Monday, also picked Muhammed, the son of late Audu, as his running mate stressing that he would not allow anybody to inherit the votes he struggled with Audu to get.
The rivalry led to a clash between supporters of Faleke and those of Bello at the national headquarters of the APC in Abuja on Monday where the party announced it had picked Bello as Audu’s replacement.
Bello who got to the APC secretariat amid tight security in the afternoon, met with the National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, just before the party sent a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), presenting him as the substitution for Audu.
The supplementary election holds on 5th December across 91 polling units of the state.
Confirming the receipt of the letter, Mr. Nick Dazang, Deputy Director of Publicity in INEC, said: “they have sent the name of their replacement candidate, the second runner-up in their primaries, that is Yahaya Bello, to the commission,” but did not state when INEC got the letter.
It was learnt that at the meeting in Abuja, which was also attended by Faleke, he was told he would maintain his position as running mate.
But Faleke, accompanied to the meeting by Muhammed and Senator Dino Melaye, has maintained that he remains Audu’s replacement.
“It was paramount for us to be here, we have been here for several hours. As far as I am concerned the meeting was just a mere briefing by the party because the party has nominated Alhaji Yahaya Bello (Fairplus) and we are not going to accept that.
“I have told the party our position that on no ground will I associate myself with that decision…the party did not consult me.
“As far as I am concerned, I am the governor elect, because I have written to INEC about my position, because if the party goes ahead with their decision, I will pull out and I will challenge it in court.
“They have taken their stand, yet I was called here for a briefing and we the members from Audu camp rejected that decision,” Faleke said.
Apart from Dino Melaye, the other two senators, Alhaji Mohammed Ohiare Salami ( Kogi Central) and Alhaji Abdulrahman Abubakar Alhaji ( kogi East) were in attendance.
Also in attendance at the meeting was Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State.
