By Abdullahi Bako.
Serious trouble may be looming in Kogi State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as some state government officials ostensibly acting on behalf of the state authority are alleged to have imposed some candidates in the Kogi West senatorial race and that of the House of Reps ahead of the party’s primaries coming up few days away.
It was gathered that a stakeholders meeting of the Kogi West senatorial district was called on Monday at the instance of the State Security Adviser, Comdr. Jerry Omodara (retd) at his GRA residence and was attended by a significant numbers of government appointees and party chieftains with none of the aspirants in attendance.
Omodara was said to have addressed the meeting claiming he was speaking on behalf of the state government and consequently announced a one time House of Reps member from Yagba, Samuel Bamidele Aro as the consensus candidate for the Kogi West senate.
He also announced Leke Abejide, the current lawmaker representing Yagba federal constituency, who just defected from African Democratic Congress (ADC), as the consensus Reps candidate along with Architect Salman Idris representing Kabba-Bunu / Ijumu federal constituency.
Also, Suleiman Aguye representing Lokoja/Koto was also announced as the consensus candidate for the zone.
At the meeting, Commissioner for Innovations, Madam Helen was said to have seconded the motion for the endorsement on behalf of the people of ijumu, while Wemi Jones, Commissioner for Education, seconded on behalf of Bunu District.
The Commissioner of Solid Minerals, Bashir Gegu, was also said to have supported on behalf of Koton Karfe.
One of the stakeholders who attended the meeting was said to have vehemently opposed the endorsements saying it was a clear imposition that was capable of tearing the party apart but he was said to have been ignored as the meeting ended abruptly.
The lone opposition in the meeting was said to have raised serious issues on why government appointees, especially members of the state executive council, had to dominate the meeting fencing out the opinions of party leaders who were present at the meeting.
With the endorsement, Senator Sunday Karimi’s fate to return back to the Senate may have been sealed as he was said to have run into trouble with the state authority over his agitation for the governorship power shift to the western senatorial district which has not tasted power since the creation of the state since 35 years ago.
Some of the aspirants who spoke to this reporter over the endorsement described the whole exercise as “despicably confounding and self serving”, saying there was not fairness and justice accorded the aspirants who have spent millions of Naira to purchase to nomination form.
The aspirants who spoke separately to this reporter said the whole process has been manipulated to favour some interest and accused the state government of not been fair enough to the aspirants as there was no formal briefing made before the meeting which excluded them was called.
They expressed sadness that the ruling party may lose the senatorial seat and one or two of the Reps seats if they field the imposed candidates who are not popular to win any election.
They, however, expressed readiness to go into the primaries in spite of the imposition.
