Honourable James Abiodun Faleke, the Running Mate to Late Prince Abubakar Audu in the November 21 gubernatorial election. In a telephone chat with STANLEY AJILEYE, spoke about his moment with the Father of Kogi Politics, Prince Abubakar Audu.
Q: You were the running mate to Prince Abubakar Audu. His death a year ago was a monumental loss to Kogi State. How close were you to Audu?
A: You have said it all, I was his Running Mate. You will agree with me that, in politics, that is the closest political link we can think of. He was my principal. But beyond this, Late Prince Audu before his death, has become to me, a father and a mentor. I say this with every sense of modesty, he is my father. Within our short period of interaction we were so close. Very very close. He himself was always excited talking with me. Whether together, or in our different homes, we were always talking, many hours on phone, planning and deliberating on strategies at turning Kogi State around in great velocity.
Q: How will you describe the person of Audu?
A: He was a great leader, a dynamic hero, a man of great vision, bold, sincere and enterprising. Even if you hate him, these are truth that can not be denied by anybody. And I think those are the fundamental qualities of true leaders. Late Prince Audu was an intelligent leader. Highly exposed and a great runner. Within our few months of Woking together through the electioneering campaign, we were always finding time off to deliberate.
Q: You said you and Late Prince Abubakar Audu talked often, Like what and what do you often talked about?
A: I mean when he was alive. During our numerous campaign tours, we normally find time to talk on the blue print of our administration of course . Our plans was to take the whole world by surprise. We were to bring back the lost glory of our state within the shortest possible time. We worked tirelessly round the clock, articulating the needs of the people, and enumerating our campaign promises. We met with the people, we had meetings with them across the 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi State. We took notes of our discussions, we gave our words of promises with full consciousness that our words are our honour. So, naturally, because we are determined to keep our promises, we started planning our action points immediately we ended each meeting. Our people are knowledgeable, they are conscious and intelligent. They are very articulate on their demands. So, they already put us on our toes. We were set to hit the ground and run if we cannot fly. So we have to discuss strategies. When we are discussing ideas, Prince Audu Abubakar will never be tired. We lost a great leader in Prince Audu Abubakar. He was a man with unbeatable passion for development of this state.
Q: Now, talking of his choice of your person as Running Mate, what was your reaction when he announced you?
A: Naturally, we are talking about a man I have always known as an achiever. I was sure of his pedigree. I knew I can work with him. Without fear of sounding immodest, I was not too keen at becoming a deputy to anybody who I am not sure is a genuine performer. Such a person will kill the spirit of servise that is in me. Prince Audu Abubakar had demonstrated great capacity and capability. His signature still stands tall today in all sectors in the state. Even his enemies cannot deny his achievements. So, because of my long standing passion for development also, I was naturally elated to work with such a man. I was determined to sacrifice my time, energy, intellect, the little resources God has given me as well as the good will from the people of Kogi and our political associates in the pursuit of the laudable manifesto of a man I know I can trust.
Q: Then, you were at the verge of winning the election when the the news came of his death.
A: Let we correct that, we won the election already. The election was held on Saturday the 21st of November, 2015. Prince Audu died on Sunday 22nd , a day after the election. The election, as far as we know, was won and loss by 4pm on Saturday the 21st of November. Forget about all the new coinages that are totally alien to us and strange to our constitution. So the right thing to say is that Prince Audu died after securing the wide magined electoral victory for his party. Let’s not take that honour away from him.
Q: Okay, the news of his death came shortly before the result was announced. How did you take the news.
A: The way a son will take the news of the unexpected death of the father he loved. Imagine we have been sharing news of our victory as they trickled in from ward to ward. Our eyes were already on celebration. We had arrange that I join him for celebration later that sunday. I didn’t get to hear anything until I got to his place and the reality came steering our faces. It wasn’t April 1st for me to assume it was ‘April Fool’. Talking about confussion here is to play down on my feelings. No no no no no. It took days for me to recover from the shock. Honesly, as we speak, I still sense the vaccum created by his exit. However, I am happy that the entire people of Kogi stood by him, even in death in agitating for his right all through the tribunal up to the Supreme Court. Though the judges (not our constitution) disappointed us. Well, if God uses the case of Kogi’s election to sanitise our judiciary, I think that is success in a way.
Q: Yes, we learnt they made effort reaching you but they could only get through to another APC leader from your Local Government, who deliberately refused to tell you.
A: We have put all that behind us..
Q: What is your relationship like, with the Audu’s family?
A: Very cordial. And it will forever remain cordial. Biologically, the entire family of Audu is very close to my heart. It is now an extension of my personal family. They too have taken me as one of their own. We are so free with one another.
Politically too, Audu/Faleke political family is waxing stronger by the day. We have refused to allow the judgement of the supreme court affect us in any way.
Q: It is now a year. What is the plan of the political family of Audu? Still mourning?
A: You don’t mourn a man who had led such a good life like our father, Audu. We are celebrating his life and his legacies. Plans are on top gear.
Q: Is Kogi State government involved in the whole plan?
A: Audu is the father of Kogi State politics. All of us are his children. But you know some of those who connived to arm-twist him even in death, those who are part of the murky manipulation that denied him the electoral glory he deserved, their action may still be hunting them. You know, a guilty conscience needs no accuser.
Q: In your own opinion, in what other ways do you think Audu can be immortalised?
A: If you want to hear the truth, listen to me carefully. I will hate being misrepresented, Publish what I tell you fully or forget it altogether. Audu has immortalised himself. All over Kogi State are great structures and projects that stood as eloquent testimonies of his years as governor. Hurriedly naming a university after him has not added up. Even the blind and deaf on the streets of Kogi State know that Audu was responsible for almost everything that stands for modernization in our state.
Q: Are you against the renaming of Kogi State University after your principal?
A: That is why I asked you to listen carefully. Nothing immortalises like fact of history. Audu has made history as a man who won gubernatorial election in Kogi State thrice, Denying Prince Audu that glory is enough evil. Even if you now turn round to change Kogi State to Audu, it just cannot add up. It is like demolishing a mansion which a person worked hard to build, and turn round to give him an umbrella as compensation. It will never add up.
Q: If you are in the shoes of Governor Yahaya Bello, what else will you do for Audu and his family?
A: I can not be in his shoes, I am not his legs neither am I his socks. The best legacy should be in righting the wrongs. 1) Let Yahaya Bello come out openly to tell the Kogites that he worked against Audu/Faleke, and by extension, the APC, during the November, 2015 gubernatorial election.
2) Let him resign so that the victory be accorded to the rightful owners.
