A group, under the aiges of Kogi East All Progressives Congress Leaders Forum, has accused the incumbent governor of the state, Yahaya Bello, of engaging in anti-party activities.
This is as the state prepare to elect a new governor following the expiration of Yahaya Bello’s second term in office later this year.
There are speculations that the governor is trying to install his ‘anointed’ candidate and chief of staff, Jamiu Asuku to succeed him. But briefing journalists on Saturday at the party National Secretariat in Abuja, the Kogi East All Progressives Congress Leaders Forum stated that Bello is not qualified to recommend any candidate considering his entanglement with the opposition party in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Citizen Goodman Akwu, said judging from the just concluded presidential and senatorial elections, the ruling party won more seats in Kogi East compared to Kogi Central where the governor come from.
He also pointed out situations where the incumbent governor allgedly carried out some of the anti-party deed.
He said “After the Kogi State APC Primary Election in 2015 that returned late Prince Abubakar Audu, his would-be victory inheritor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello left the Party to join forces with PDP to fight against the success of both Prince Audu and APC, but behold the Prince of the Confluence triumphed in a resounding victory, but death took him away. The man died while coasting to victory. Who can ask God? The Adoja of Igala land and the Prince of the Confluence! Continue to sleep peacefully.
“Same Alhaji Yahaya Bello that left and joined forces with PDP to stop the victory of the party was brought and imposed as Governor against the wishes of the people. This is nothing but Anti,-Party of the highest order.
“The Igala while mourning the exit of their leader, the legendary Prince Audu kept quiet and accepted the short changing as an act and will of God.
“Here we are, Governor Yahaya Bello selected Hon. Simon Achuba, the former majority leader of the State House of Assembly under Governor Ibrahim Idris, a full-fledged PDP member as his Deputy Governor, until the cookies crumbled and they remain at logger head till this moment.
“This is evidence number two of his Anti-Party activities.
“He followed the sequence by appointing PDP members as Commissioners, Special Advisers and Caretaker Chairmen of LGAs.
Up till this moment about 80% of his Cabinet members are PDP extraction, this is evidence number 3”.
The group also condemned the Kogi State government declaration of some members of the State House of Assembly (from Kogi East) as Terrorists and also the suspension of Chairmen including a Governorship aspirant, Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka.
“The declaration of the Honourable Members of the State Assembly as Terrorist to persecute them and the suspension of Chairmen and a party stalwart and a leading Governorship aspirant for that matter, was hastily done without recourse to due process, better still party constitution.
“It is like the case of giving dog a bad name just to cut-off the head. The whole exercise was borne out of envy, jealousy and hatred for the rising political profile of Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, the kid on the block.
“The Declaration of Hon. Suleiman Atajachi Musa representing the good people of Idah, Hon. Daniel Rayin of Bassa Local Government Area and Muktar Ibrahim and the Hon. representing Ibaji Constituency is the greatest injustice and hatred. We, the Igala people are seriously injured and stigmatized by this pronouncement. We condemned in its entirety and reject completely the appellation.
“There is no individual apart from the C in C and the Executive President through his NSA that can declare an individual or group terrorist(s) but Governor Yahaya Bello has assumed the position of the President, to declare honourable gentle leaders as Terrorists”.
The group further urged the leadership of the party to intervene and nullify the purported suspension of the honorable members.
“We are calling on the able and experienced National Chairman of our great party, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, the Sarki Yaki Keffi led Executive to void the purported suspension of our people immediately as all the allegations are figment of imagination and hatred enveloped with fear of the intimidating profile of Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka.
The motive is political witch haunting.
“There are laid down rules to visit punitive measures on earing members and accept the verdict of the party leaders after fair hearing of any law breaker.
“Please use your good office to save our party from premature death as the wishes of some party members” they said.
