A group operating under the aegis of Conference of Igala Associations, CIA on Sunday reacted to the purported endorsement of Murtala Yakubu Ajaka as Kogi East’s consensus candidateat Anyigba, describing the development as a charade by political jobbers to feed fat.
The group in a statement by the Convener, Mr Muhammed Musa which was made available to CAPITAL POST on Sunday, advised the general public to disregard the endorsement, saying, consultations are ongoing across all parties that have genuinely issued the 2023 governorship ticket aspirants from Kogi East who are now candidates for a recommendation.
The group insisted that any consensus endorsement hastily done as it were cannot stand the test of time as the November 13 governorship election was not just about money, but on some incidentals that must be taken into consideration before arriving at a conclusion.
The statement read: “The general public are advised to ignore the purported endorsement of a governorship candidate by any group.
“It was brought to our knowledge that some Igala people converged in Anyigba to endorse a particular aspirant.
“The group by any name did not have the approval of the Igala people to endorse or select any body as the consensus candidate of Kogi East Senatorial District being the largest in the state.
According to the statement, those behind the acclaimed “consensus endorsement”, were members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP who lost out to Senator Dino Melaye from the Western Senatorial District, wondering if they could not organise their own house, “how come about endorsement?”
The group described their action as ridiculous, urging the three Senatorial Districts to wait for a candidate of their ambition to emerge.
“It’s ridiculous for the members of PDP who could not field a sole candidate on their party in the just concluded parties governorship primaries and after failing to win the ticket have suddenly turned themselves to be the Kogi East leaders that will select the candidate for the people.
“Imagine the same people that could not resolve the internal crisis in their party to have bestowed selves the power to ordain a candidate.
“To make mess of themselves, they have endorsed as aspirant instead of a candidate. On what party is their choice running?
“When the real leaders of the people are waiting patiently for INEC to upload and publish the names of the successful governorship candidates before bring them to the round table of dialogue, some disgruntled politicians are in a haste to endorse someone.
“The general public should ignore the desperate people that have turned some aspirant to ATM.
“The new Chairman of Igala Cultural Development Association (ICDA), Dr Commodore Abdullahi Rtd, is never part of the arrangement and will never condescend so low to be part of such jamboree.
“It’s too early for such a discussion, the failed politicians have only turned themselves to political jobbers to feed.
“Hence the leadership of ICDA have disassociated themselves from any charade of any kind.They are very focused and can’t be distracted.
“Also the conference of Igala Associations are not part of the fruitless exercise. The purported endorsement is a kangaroo arrangement, it has died on arrival.
“The general public are advised to wait for the real leaders who are patiently & respectfully waiting to work according to INEC directives and the views of the people on this political conundrum.
“We shall be guided by the opinion of the electorate. Everyone is very important to the success of Kogi East. We shall do the needful by contacting the people of the 9 LGAs before arriving at a sole candidate to make a popular choice”, the statement concluded.
