Disaster was averted yesterday in the ongoing controversy that has trailed the Kogi governorship elections as two APC rival groups stormed the party's headquarters in Abuja.
Prince Abubakar Audu
There was tension yesterday as two rival groups stormed the headquarters of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja to demand that the party consider their benefactors as beneficiaries of the mandate given to the late APC governorship candidate in last week’s election, Prince Abubakar Audu.
The protesters who arrived the secretariat at different times, came with chartered commercial buses with placards singing solidarity songs in support of their candidates. One group was for late Abubakar Audu's son, Mohammed while the other demanded for James Falake to be made the governorship candidate in the forthcoming supplementary election.
The leader of Falake supporters, Jibrin Yusuf read a statement signed by a former acting Governor of Kogi State, Clarance Obafemi asking the party not to do any malpractice in the nomination of the candidate to replace the late Abubakar Audu.
Yusuf said, “Also very well known is the fact that the APC governorship mandate is jointly held by the late Prince Abubakar Audu and Hon. Abiodun James Faleke, and the more than 240, 000 votes given by the good people of Kogi State are for the two of them. Now, Biodun Faleke is still alive.”
However, Mohammed's supports shouted in opposition. They demanded that he should be allowed to step into the shoes of his late father. Their spokesman, Mr. Solomon Ogbadu, said they were at the party’s headquarters to inform leaders of their choice and the reason for making it. He explained that it was in the interest of peace and justice to allow Mohammed replace his father.
Ogbadu said, “Without the late Prince Abubakar Audu, our late political Icon, there will be no APC in Kogi today.” Ogbadu hinted that if it is not Mohammed, no one else was fit to fill the vacant position left by the late Audu.