Nigeria - Prominent among the candidates are the incumbent Governor, Capt. Idris
Wada of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and Prince Abubakar Audu of the All
Peoples Progressive Congress, APC.
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| Abubakar Audu |
Also in the race is the immediate past Deputy Governor of the State,
Dr. Philip Salawu of the Labour Party, LP; Isah Kamadeen, AA; Dickson
Fred, Accord; Ukwenya Musa, ACD; Michael Abdullahi, AD; Usman Zainab, ADC;
Odufu Friday, APA; Akwu Goodman, APGA; Yinka Oloruntoba, CPP; Philip Koleola,
DPC; Abubarka Ibrahim, DPP; Ibrahim Adejoh, ID and Raji Ogrima -KOWA.
The rest are Mohammed Dangana, NCP; Mallam Abdul Hussien, NNPP;
Emmanuel Daikwo, PDC; Emmanuel Ozigi, PPA; Dr. Oju Hussein, PPN; Enema Paul,
SPD and Saadu Mukailu of UDP.
The INEC also disclosed that arrangement for a credible, free and fair
polls are already in top gear.
INEC had recently released the soft copy of the Voters Register to all
registered parties in the state.
Indications have emerged that the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State is going
through challenging times, as continued friction between the forces within the
party continues to undermine its chances of clinching the November governorship
election in the state.
Genesis of the crisis
After the March presidential and national assembly polls, the All
Progressives Congress became a house divided against itself. Things began to
fall apart in a party in which the people of Kogi had expected real change.
The emergence of Prince Abubakar Audu brewed animosity among other
co-aspirants who felt the former governor should have confined himself to the
role of a leader within the party.
Many young elements within the party felt having failed on four
occasions to become the governor of the state, Prince Abubakar Audu should have
left the stage for more promising aspirants. One of such aspirants, according
to analysts, is Alh. Yahaya Bello, a young entrepreneur with massive
followership among the youths of the state. Also, it was believed that AVM.
Saliu Atawodi (rtd) would have given the party a good stead to wrestle power
from the ruling People’s Democratic Party.
With the inability of the Kogi West and Kogi Central to coalesce into
consensus, Prince Abubakar Audu, whom his supporters see as the father of
opposition politics in Kogi emerged as the candidate of the party.
Battle Shifts to Abuja
After the APC primaries, attrition and contention set in. Some
chieftains of the party from Kogi Central were blamed for the collapse of the
West/Central marriage.
Prince Abubakar Audu was petitioned for violating a basic provision of
the guidelines for the primaries by refusing to resign his membership of the
Board of Trustees of the party. Concerns were also raised about his graft case
at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
On receipt of the petition, the party set up a three-man panel to look
into the allegations raised and come up with recommendations. Chief Sam Sam
Jaja was the Chairman of the committee.
After days of sitting, the committee came up with its report. One of
the recommendations in the report was the need to disqualify Prince Abubakar
Audu and replace him with Alh. Yahaya Bello, who was runner up in the primary
election.
The National Working Committee passed the report to the National Legal
Adviser of the party, Muiz Banire for legal guide. The Lagos-born lawyer and a
close confidant of Audu’s running mate, Hon. Abiodun Faleke, advised against
the withdrawal of the ticket from Audu, warning of dire legal implications.
Audu was able to survive the first onslaught.
Frosty relations with Abuja
Sources close to the seat of power in Abuja told Vanguard that Presidency is
uncomfortable with the emergence of Prince Abubakar Audu.
The source who craved anonymity said Prince Abubakar Audu is an
antithesis of the anti-corruption crusade of the party.
He said: “As I speak, we are still trying to convince the President to
attend the flag presentation ceremony of Prince Abubakar Audu. The body
language of the President doesn’t suggest he is disposed to working with Audu.
“A number of reasons are responsible for this cold relationship. In 2003,
Prince Abubakar Audu who was a sitting governor then in ANPP where Buhari was
the presidential candidate, worked against Buhari. On the day Buhari was to
campaign at Lokoja, Audu left the state, ostensibly to avoid Buhari. In 2011,
Audu worked for Mallam Shekarau and that led to Buhari contesting on the
platform of Congress for Progressive Change. In 2015, Audu supported Rabiu Musa
Kwakwanso prior to the primaries. All these didn’t go down well with the
President.
“Secondly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission did write a
letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, protesting the
nomination of Prince Abubakar Audu as a ploy to shield him from prosecution.
The President feels his anti-corruption credence is under threat if he supports
Audu’s candidature”.
Deputy governorship debacle
Also, the choice of Audu’s running mate has also generated some ripples
within the party. Many party chieftains are of the opinion that Faleke is
reaping where he didn’t sow.
Our reporters gathered that many party leaders are discreetly working
for the opposition to stop what they called “the overbearing influence of some
external forces” on the party and Kogi State.
However, Prince Abubakar Audu, a veteran of the game is believed to be
pulling the string to ensure APC takes over Lugard House come January 2016.
Will Audu be fifth time lucky? November 21 will tell.
By Kingsley Fanwo
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