Governor Yahaya Bello and Hon. Abiodun Falake are back to old ground — in dispute.
Recall that Faleke was the running mate to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State in 2015, late Abubakar Audu, and the duo were coasting home to victory when Audu died before the result was announced.
What followed that led to Bello’s emergence as the party candidate in the run off after the election was announced inconclusive fractured whatever relationship they had and set them on war path.
They are now at it again.
This time, it’s occasioned by the vacant position of Deputy National Publicity Secretary to which both have different candidates.
While Faleke nominated Hon Duro Mesoko for the office, the governor’s person is his ex-Special Adviser on Water Resources, Yahaya Ismail.
Mesoko on Thursday was in process of being inaugurated at the party headquarters when Bello stormed the venue to impede it.
Kogi State APC Chairman, Abdullahi Bello in a statement said on the issue: “Consequent upon the resignation of the two officers from the party, the Kogi State All Progressives Congress under the leadership of the Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, met to ratify and forward names of replacements for the national and zonal officers that left the party. The State Chapter ratified Hon. Yahaya Ade Ismail as the new Deputy National Publicity Secretary and Hon. Isiaka Musa as the Zonal Organising Secretary for North Central; and in line with the provisions of our constitution, communicated the ratified replacements to the National Working Committee through the North Central Zonal Chairman of the Party.
“To our dismay, the National Working Committee came up with strange names which didn’t pass through the State Chapter nor the North Central Zone of the party and purportedly went ahead to ratify them, citing “Presidency interest” as the rationale for their action. We strongly reject the action as we will not be parties to the blatant and flagrant violation of our party’s constitution.
“Our belief in Mr President as a man who respects the Constitution of our party and a man who believes in due process is unshaken in the face of the current confusion foisted on the party by people dropping the name of the President to achieve their selfish aims. We call on the National Working Committee of the Party to reverse the unconstitutional replacements done on our behalf without our ratification or approval, and revert to our ratified list as they occupy those offices on behalf of the State Chapter of our party.”
