Faleke rejects APC's decision

chika ebuzor

December 1, 2015 6:46 AM

Faleke said he was not consulted on the decision of the party and would not take part in the supplementary election.

Abiodun James Faleke

James Faleke, running mate to the late Abubakar Audu, who participated in the Nov 21 governorship election in Kogi, has rejected the party's decision to present Yahaya Bello for the Dec 5 supplementary election.

INEC declared the Nov 21 election as inconclusive following the cancellation of voting in 91 polling units across the state.

However, Audu died on Nov 22 as the result of the election was announced and the electoral body asked APC to nominate another candidate to replace Audu in the supplementary election fixed for Dec 5.

Yahaya Bello was the runner-up in the party's primary where late Audu emerged as the candidate of the All Peoples Congress for the election.

Faleke said on Monday, while briefing newsmen at the APC national secretariat in Abuja‎, that the decision was not acceptable as Bello did not participate in any of the campaigns or primary before the election.

He said he was at the party headquarters for a meeting to resolve the issue but was shocked as he was only briefed on the party's position on the issue.

He said: ''We met for two hours as you have observed and of course we discovered at the meeting that what we were invited for was just a mere briefing rather than it being where we could have deliberated and solve the quagmire we find ourselves in.

''We were only briefed about the position of the party. The party told us that they had nominated Alhaji Yahaya Bello and of course we made it clear as the political family of Prince Abubakar Audu that it is not acceptable.

''We are not going with it and I personally observed that my name has been submitted to INEC as deputy governorship candidate to pair with Bello.

''I told the National Chairman in clear words that I have submitted a letter this morning distancing myself from that decision that on no ground will I want to be associated with the decision of the party to pair me with Bello because I am already governor-elect.

‎''The governor-elect cannot yet become another deputy governorship candidate.''

chika ebuzor