Governor Yahaya Bello inherited votes cast for late Prince Abubakar Audu because he came second in the 2015 APC Kogi governorship primaries.
A new comer into Kogi politics, Alhaji Yahaya Bello garnered more votes than eminent and tested politicians like Senator Alex Kadiri, Senator Nurudeen Abatemi, Asiwaju Clarence Olafemi, Engr. George Olumoroti, AVM Salihu Atawodi and a host of others.
It is on record that majority of delegate votes from Kogi Central, where Alh. Yahaya Bello comes from, were cast for Senator Abatemi and Alhaji Sanusi Abubakar Gamji. Delegates from Kabba-Bunu made Olumoroti the highest ranking aspirant from Kogi West in the APC primaries. Where then did Alh. Yahaya Bello get his massive delegate votes to emerge second after Audu? Without doubt, the bloc delegate votes from Yagba land; Yagba West, Yagba East and Mopamuro did the magic. The reason for this is not far fetched. APC stakeholders from Yagba land felt shortchanged by the undemocratic way their sons, Samuel Aro and Bidemi Adeyemi, were robbed of APC senate ticket which led most of them to Accord Party.
Yagba APC stakeholder moved enmass to Accord Party to contest the 2015 elections. Sam Aro picked Kogi West senate ticket, Salaudeen Ganiyu Erukutu picked House of Reps ticket for Yagba Federal constituency while Commodore Folusho Daniel picked House of Assembly ticket for Mopamuro. They all lost and quietly returned to APC. They formed a bloc within the party and delivered bloc delegate votes to Alhaji Yahaya Bello in the August 2015 APC governorship primaries in Kogi state.
Without the support of Yagba APC leaders Alhaji Yahaya Bello would not have come second behind Prince Abubakar Audu to pave way for his eventual emergence as Governor.
Alhaji Yahaya Bello owe Yagba people a debt and 2019 is payback time. It is a debt of honour and our demand is simple, APC senate ticket. I don’t thick this is too much to ask after our sacrifice. Yes, a debt of honour is morally but not legally binding, but we expect Alhaji Yahaya Bello to look back and do what is right at the right time.
– Olalekan Abidemi writes from Lokoja.
