The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kogi State

  • Ahmadu Ali’s son joins Kogi governorship race

    Son of former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Dr. Ahmadu Ali has joined the growing list of governorship aspirants in Kogi State for the November election.

    Mohammed Nasarudeen Ali, who announced his intention to contest the PDP ticket in Abuja yesterday, said the state has lagged behind for too long and needs a vibrant young man to take it out of the wood.

    Ali, who refused to access the performance of the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration said he was not out to condemn any candidate, arguing that he believe he has a better programme.

    He added that he was the only one presently in the race that has set up an industry in the state and employing several young men and providing means of livelihood for families.

    Read Also: Bello, Audu, Dichie and struggle for Kogi APC ticket

    Mohammed said he plans to replicate that gesture in all parts of the state once elected governor.

    The aspirant said it was time for the people to leave behind ethnic politics and vote for competence and people, who can ensure true development.

    Asked how his father’s political structures would impact in his ambition, the younger Ali said the contest was not about his father, but about the state, refusing to admit that his father’s image would play a role.

    He is, however, convinced that his mother, Dr. Maryam Ahmadu Ali’s membership of the ruling party in Kogi State, the APC, will not affect his chances of becoming the next governor.

  • Bello, Audu, Dichie and struggle for Kogi APC ticket

    No fewer than 42 aspirants are struggling for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State. Who becomes the flagbearer for the November 16 poll? Correspondent JAMES AZANIA examines the intra-party contest.

    Eyes are on the Kogi State All Progressives Congress (APC) as it prepares for the governorship primary billed for next month. No fewer than 42 aspirants are in the race. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, the election will hold on November 16.

    Unlike in the ruling APC, where the mode of primary has become contentious, between those rooting for direct primary and advocates of indirect primaries, not much noise has emanated from the PDP mode of primary to be adopted. However, the frenzy and jostling for parties’ tickets has has taken off.

    Governor Yahaya Bello has unfolded his second term ambition. His supporters are already on the field. His rivals-Admiral Usman, Yahaya Audu, Tim Dichie, Hadiza Ibrahim- are challenging him to a duel. The primary will be tough.

    Bello

    Despite widespread vilification, Bello appears the most formidable of the lot. Not only is he presently in the saddle the Lugard House, he appears to hold the magical wand, just has he has eaten deep into the psyche of the people, to the extent that virulent criticisms hauled at his administration have not deterred him or his zeal for a second term.

    Bello has as his foot soldiers political appointees and the sole administrators of the 21 local government areas who are expected to deliver for him, when the time comes.

    His critics accuse him of non-performance, non-payment of backlog of workers’ salary, sidelining of party chieftains and other alleged infractions. But, the Ebira born governor remains a moving train that is determined not only on picking his party’s ticket, but being returned for a second term. Barring any unforseen circumstances, Bello may be the man to beat.

    Admiral Usman Jubril (retd).

    A former Chief of Naval Staff, Jubril, since his entrance into the race, has presented himself as a formidable challenger for the ticket. Hr is believed to have the backing of powerful chieftains, who see him as an alternative to Bello. During his tenure as the naval chief, he engineered the citing of the Navy Secondary School, in Okura, Kogi East, where he hails from.

    Jubril has not been seen selling his aspiration in Kogi, and not much of him has been seen by the people. But, his myriad of support groups and others that have endorsed him continue to swell.

    In one of the endorsements, Youths of Dekina/Bassa Local Government of Kogi State described him as the best man for the job.

    The youths in a statement by Mohammed Abdullahi, president of the Bassa/Dekina Youth Progressive Union for Good Government, said Jibril is well equipped to rescue Kogi State and restore its glory.

    According to them: “The liberation of our people and society has become imperative, since in place of authorities over the years could not do little or much to help salvage our lands from the status of backwardness and underdevelopment. It is on this assertion we the youth of Dekina/Bassa LG deem it necessary to support our amiable, purposeful, pragmatic, God sent leader and to ask him to contest for the position of governorship of Kogi State, come November 16, 2019.

    “This is in view of his immense contribution to the people and society at large. Every society or people must discover its own mission; its either betrayed or fulfilled. We believe Usman Jibril shall fulfill the desire, yearning and aspirations of our people by 2019. He is a detribalized Kogite, whose friendship and acceptability cuts across frontiers of age, sex, religion or tribe. He shall attend to the needs of our people. We therefore want to usher him as our sole candidate for the job.

    Read Also: Of Kogi’s “bread and butter” royal fathers

    “We believe that he has the credentials and the experience in the management of the affairs of Kogi State, and removing from out of the woods”.

    Jubril stands a bright chance of getting the ticket.

    Prince Yahaya Audu

    Audu, younger brother of the late Prince Abubakar Audu, the flagbearer  in 2015, is said to have garnered the support of some political appointees in the cabinet of Governor Bello. About six commissioners and other aides of the governor are set to join Audu who aspired for Kogi East Senatorial seat during the last election.

    Those purportedly teeming up with him are said to have adduced the failure of the governor to pay workers and pensioners and hardship faced by some of the appointees, as some of the reason for so doing.

    Audu’s cannot be ignored.

    Tim Nda Dichie

    Not a few were taken by surprise when Dichie, a former member of Bello’s cabinet, resigned as Commissioner for Agriculture, when he was barely a year in office.

    From the minority Bassa–speaking tribe of Kogi East, Dichie is an experienced politician, philanthropist and business magnate. He was one of the aspirants during the 2015 primary.

    The Basange high chief who prides himself as a “symbol of unity between the majority/minority dichotomy at the moment, for the state,” has articulated his motivation for the contest. He said God has positioned him to be next governor of Kogi, and that the financial strength of other aspirants would not change God’s plan.

    He is seen as one of those that may spring a surprise.

    Sank Lulu, a former chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFA), Mona Audi, Gen. Patrick Akpa (retd.) and Saidu Mohammed Ogah, from Kogi East and Hadiza Ibrahim, are other APC governorship aspirants.

    The main opposition PDP, ousted from power in 2015, parades no less than a dozen aspirants, including former Governor Idris Wada and Abubakar Ibrahim, son of former Governor Ibrahim Idris (Ibro) and a woman, Hajia Halimat Alfa.

    Others include Ibrahim Wada, Senator Dino Melaye, Dr Victor Adoji, Ameh Joe Erico, Hassan Adamu Enape, Emmanuel Omebije, Aminu Abubakar Suleiman, Mohammed Shaibu and Zakari Alfa.

    Of the lot, Wada appears to have more weight, but that is only on paper, as not a few lay the blame for the party’s ouster at the last election at his feet.

    A gentleman and silent achiever, Wada while in office allowed some of his aides to run riot, resulting in the sinking of the PDP ship in 2015, after over eight years in the saddle.

    Other aspirants that parade themselves, to borrow from the parlance of the pro Bello APC supporters, can at best be described as Diaspora politicians, who have lost the verve to truly challenge for the position, despite the presence of core and diehard PDP members that abound in Kogi, coupled with the watered down impact of the state party executive, which is very much unlike the days of Hassan Salawu on the saddle. It would appear a long short for the Kogi PDP to return as landlord at Lugard House, four years after departure.

  • Court orders Kogi Gov, others to release judiciary workers’ pay arrears

    Succour seems imminent for thousands of unpaid court workers in Kogi State as the National Industrial Court of Nigerian (NICN) in Abuja ordered Governor, Yahaya Bello and others to released forthwith,funds due to the state’s Judiciary, withheld since July 2018.

    Justice Edith Agbakoba, in a judgment, also ordered the state’s Chief Judge and other heads of courts. in the state to immediately commence payment of salaries, allowances and emoluments owed to court workers on their receipt of funds from the Executive arm of government.

    The judgment is on a suit marked: NCIN/LKJ/2019 filed by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) against the Governor of Kogi State and eight others.

    The others are the Attorney-General, Kogi State, Commissioner for Finance, Accountant-General, Auditor-General, the Chief Judge, the Grand Kadi, President, Customary Court of Appeal and the Judicial Service Commission.

    The plaintiff said its members in Kogi State have not been paid since July 2018 owing to the failure of the state government to release funds due to the Judiciary from the Consolidated Revenue Funds of the state, from which salaries and other payments are made to court workers in the state.

    Justice Agbakoba, in the judgment delivered on June 3, 2019, a copy of which The Nation sighted in Abuja on Sunday, declared as a violation of sections 121(3) of the Constitution and 5 of the Kogi State Public Finance (Judiciary Special Provisions) Laws No. 6 of 1991 the failure of the first to fifth defendants  to release to heads of courts  funds due to the Judiciary from which the salaries, allowances and other payments are to be made.

    The first to fifth defendants are the Governor, the Attorney-General, Finance Commissioner, Accountant-General and Auditor-General.

    Justice Agbakoba, who held that the first to fifth lacked the power to withhold court workers’ salaries and other entitlements which are payable from any amount standing to the credit of the Kogi State Judiciary in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state.

    Read Also: We didn’t arrest Kogi gov’s aide, says DSS

    The judge, particularly ordered “the 1st – 5th defendants are hereby directed to pay forthwith, the arrears of salaries, allowances and emoluments of the members of the claimant from the N1, 529, 885, 261.92 being eight months accumulated arrears standing to the credit of the said Judiciary from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State and payable directly to the heads of the courts from which salaries and emoluments of the members of the claimant ought to be paid. for the past eight  months since July 2018 to February 2019.

    “The 1st – 5th defendants whether acting by themselves, their agents. prlvies or servants, are by a perpetual injunction order of this court hereby restrained from continuing to withhold the monthly salaries, allowances and emoluments payable from subventions or amounts standing to the credit of Kogi State Judiciary in the Consolidated Revenue Funds of the State and payable directly to the heads of the courts concerned in line with the provision of section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999(as amended).

    “By order of this court the defendants are hereby directed to release the salaries, allowances and emoluments of the members of the claimant which are paid from subventions or the amount standing to the credit of the Kogi State Judiciary with effect from July 2018 to each heads of courts, the 6th 9th defendants, as follows: High Court (N13582 1049.83 (arrears per month); Customary Court (N26, 310 922.39 arrears per month); Sharia Court (N23,781,827.83 arrears per month); Judicial Service Commission (N5,32 1,807.69 (arrears per month), cumulatively amounting, for the eight months, a total sum of N1, 529, 885. 261,92 accordingly.

    “The 6th to 9th defendants are by an order of this court hereby directed to commence payment of salaries and emoiuments of the members of the claimants as Judicial staff upon the receipt of’ the subventions from the 1st to 5th defendants.”

    Listed as the sixth to ninth defendants are the Chief Judge, the Grand Kadi, the President, Customary Court of Appeal and the Judicial Service Commission.

    “It is hereby declared that payment to the members of the Claimant by hand by he |st-5th defendants is illegal and offends the principle of separation of powers as the Executive arm cannot pay Judicial workers being contrary to the clear provisions of sections 121(3), 125(23(6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and therefore, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void.

    “The 1st-5th defendants are by a perpetual injunction of this Court hereby restrained from interfering with the mode of payment of the staff of the Kogi State Judiciary particularly members of the claimant to collect their salaries by hand from the executive as it is illegal and breaches the principle of separation of powers, therefore, is unconstitutional and null and void.”

     

     

  • For equity and fairness, zone governorship seat to Kogi West, group tells APC

    A Civil society organization, Citizens for Equity, Fairness and Justice has asked the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the governorship ticket of the party in the forth coming elections in Kogi state to the Western Senatorial district in the spirit of equity, fairness and justice.

    In a letter to the national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and signed by President, Mohammed Abubakar, the group said if there can be power rotation among the various zones of the country, there was no reason why the same principles cannot be applied in Kogi State where one zone has held onto power for 16 years and still wants more.

    Abubakar said if population and voting strength was to be the determinant of who leads the country, people from northern extraction would have continued to hold on to power perpetually, adding that for equity, fairness and justice people from other parts of the country have had opportunity to govern the country.

    The letter reads: “In the Spirit of fairness, equity and justice, we are calling on the National Chairman as a matter of urgency and concerns to look and listen to the voice of the good people of Kogi State who are requesting that the governorship position remain in West and Central Senatorial District of Kogi state.

    Read Also: Seven killed in Kogi attack

    “This position was re-echoed during the recent visit of our royal fathers to the President, Muhammadu Buhari that power should remain in West and Central.

    “In n Nigeria, there is a majority North, minority South West and another Minority South East and South South together. If voting population is the only qualification or criteria for taking over power and ruling, how come it is not only the people of the Northern part of Nigeria that produces the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?

    “Nigeria has had Presidents from the North, South West, South East/South South, who were all voted for by all Nigerians in the past twenty years of our democratic experience. Some of the Presidents are Muslims and some are Christians.

    “Equally, Kogi State is the only State in Nigeria where the Senatorial areas are divided along the major tribes in the State, just like Nigeria as a country. Kogi State is the only State where a particular Senatorial Zone has not produce any Governor. Where then is the fairness and equity.

    “If Nigeria can rotate and shift power for fairness, justice and equity, for peace and unity to reign, it is time for equitable opportunity to govern Kogi State. For the past twenty (20) years, Kogi East has ruled for sixteen (16) years and Kogi Central  for four (4) Years.

    “Fairness demands that Kogi West be given the opportunity unless there are no competent people there. There is no monopoly of competence anywhere. The Nigerian Constitution recognizes Nigeria ethnic diversity and the fact that majority numbers only lead to injustice and unfairness gave rise to federal character for equitable distribution of positions and opportunities for everyone to contribution to national development.

    “Kogi State is part of Nigeria and It is time to stop the Injustice in Kogi State. Power sharing is a principle that is based on fairness, equity and justice and not numbers. So the excuse of voting power has never prevail over what is right and what is fair?

    “ Under the law, marginalization is iliegal and under God, marginalization is injustice and immoral. The kind of people we are, our principles and our values is determined by our adherence to the principles of fairness, equity and justice.

    “We cannot promote unity, tolerance, peace, sisterhood, brotherliness and nationhood if we do not deliberately enforce these equitable principles that ensure inclusiveness and not orchestrated citizens from power and equality.

    “If our constitution says all are equal under the law, then no voting power should be used to enshrine inequality. It is time now to ensure fairness, and justice for the marginalized people of Kogi West, who deserve a fairer deal in their home and motherland”

     

  • We‘ll use Kogi, Bayelsa governorship polls to correct wrongs in 2019 polls — Institute

    The Electoral Institute, Abuja, said on Friday that it would use the Kogi and Bayelsa states’ governorship elections to correct all the wrongs from the lessons learnt during the 2019 general elections.

    Dr. Saád Idris, Director-General of the institute, said at a Policy Dialogue series tagged, “Dynamics of Delegation: Reforms in the Recruitment, Training and Deployment of Ad-hoc Election Personnel” in Abuja that Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has been engaging with stakeholders since the last  elections, to know what went wrong to improve on subsequent elections.

    The INEC chairman, according to him, “has been making effort to address the challenges faced, so this is a part of that effort to look into the recruitment, training and deployment of ad-hoc staff during elections.

    “The effort of the commission is clear; it has owned up to some things that it did not do right, so beginning from the Kogi and Bayelsa elections, you will see improvement.’’

    Idris said that the plans to correct the electoral process had started, adding that “we are not going to wait for general elections before correcting all the wrongs.’’

    Idris explained that the meeting was part of the mandate to organise a policy dialogue, to engage in dialogue for reforms, recruitment, training and deployment of ad-hoc staff.

    Read Also: INEC to review MoU with NYSC 

    He also said that the dialogue was with particular reference to what happened in 2019 elections.

    Earlier, Prof. Shola Omotola, Lead Speaker and lecturer, Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, called for expansion of the recruitment data base of adhoc staff to include ex-NYSC members, to guarantee continuity.

    Omotola, therefore, called for training and re-training of ad-hoc staff and the need to put mechanisms in place to enable such staff to also vote on Election Day, in order not to disenfranchise them.

    He advised INEC to imbibe the culture of timely recruitment and training of ad-hoc staff to enable them work effectively.

    Omotola said that there was need to guarantee their security as well as increase their remunerations for greater performance.

    Mr Adedeji Soyebi, Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute, said that a lot had been learnt from the lessons shared by various stakeholders on the occasion.

    Soyebi said that ad-ahoc staff played critical role in the electoral process, adding that INEC could not afford to overlook such role.

    “So the reforms in the delegation of responsibilities would constantly be reviewed,”he said.

    He said that the institute would continue to improve on the electoral process in consonance with the commitment of INEC to ensure free, fair and credible elections and acceptable by all.

  • ‘We‘ll use Kogi, Bayelsa governorship polls to correct wrongs of 2019 polls’

    The Electoral Institute, Abuja on Friday said  that it would use the Kogi and Bayelsa State governorship elections to correct all the wrongs from the lessons learnt during the 2019 general elections.

    Dr. Saád Idris, Director-General of the institute said at a Policy Dialogue series tagged, “Dynamics of Delegation: Reforms in the Recruitment, Training and Deployment of Ad-hoc Election Personnel“ in Abuja that Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has been engaging with stakeholders since the last  elections, to know what went wrong to improve on subsequent elections.

    The INEC chairman, according to him, “has been making effort to address the challenges faced, so this is a part of that effort to look into the recruitment, training and deployment of ad-hoc staff during elections.

    “The effort of the commission is clear, it has owned up to some things that it did not do right, so beginning from the Kogi and Bayelsa elections, you will see improvement.’’

    Idris said that the plans to correct the electoral process had started, adding that “we are not going to wait for general elections before correcting all the wrongs.’’

    Idris explained that the meeting was part of the mandate to organize a policy dialogue, to engage in dialogue for reforms, recruitment, training and deployment of ad-hoc staff.

    He also said that the dialogue was with particular reference to what happened in 2019 elections.

    Earlier, Prof. Shola Omotola, lead speaker and lecturer, Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State called for expansion of the recruitment data base of adhoc staff to include ex-NYSC members, to guarantee continuity.

    Read Also: 2019 polls: we’ve withdrawn 64 Certificates of Return, says INEC

    Omotola, therefore, called for training and re-training of ad-hoc staff and the need to put mechanisms in place to enable such staff to also vote on Election Day, in order not to disenfranchise them.

    He advised INEC to imbibe the culture of timely recruitment and training of ad-hoc staff to enable them work effectively.

    Omotola also said that there was need to guarantee their security as well as increase their remunerations for greater performance.

    Mr. Adedeji Soyebi, Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute, said that a lot had been learnt from the lessons shared by various stakeholders at the occasion.

    Soyebi said that ad-ahoc staff played critical role in the electoral process, adding that INEC could not afford to overlook such role.

    “So the reforms in the delegation of responsibilities would constantly be reviewed” he said.

    He said that the institute would continue to improve on the electoral process in consonance with the commitment of INEC to ensure free, fair and credible elections and acceptable by all.

     

     

  • Seven killed in Kogi attack

    Seven people were reportedly killed in an overnight attack by suspected herdsmen in Koto-Karfe, Kogi Local Government Area of Kogi State.

    The attack took place in the early hours of Tuesday.

    A source said the suspected herdsmen launched two separate attacks from the surrounding hills.

    Three people were said to have died on the spot.

    The suspected herdsmen were said to have been armed with AK47 rifles and other dangerous weapons.

    Read Also: Drug abuse in Kogi worrisome, says CP

    The Sole Administrator of the council, Muhammed Tanko said security agents in the state are on the top of the situation.

    Kogi State Police Command spokesman William Ayah said the command was yet to be briefed on the development.

  • Kogi gov poll: Bello, Kogi APC stakeholders meet for truce

    The two camps of the All Progressive Congress(APC) in Kogi state have met in Abuja as part of efforts to mend fences ahead of the November governorship election.

    The meeting, according to a statement by the leadership of the Kogi state APC Forum, Senator Alex Kadiri  was at the instance of Governor Yahaya Bello.

    Kadiri, in a statement he signed, described the meeting as an interactive session.

    The statement reads in part: “At the meeting, Governor Yahaya Bello harped on the need for reconciliation in the Kogi state chapter of the party and for the unity amongst members.

    “He urged both sides in the protracted party dispute to resolve their differences and move forward as one united political party.

    “Speaking on behalf of the Kogi State Stakeholders’ Forum, Senator Alex Kadiri made two demands:

    Read Also: Hadiza Ibrahim: I will succeed Bello

    “First, that the state government should take steps to pay outstanding salaries and pension to workers and pensioners respectively so as to cushion the prolonged hardship they have been experiencing in the state.

    “Secondly, Dr Kadiri drew the attention of the governor to the non-implementation of the reports of the two reconciliatory committees led separately by Prince Tony Momoh and General Garba (Rtd), set up by Chief John Odigie Oyegun, the former National Chairman of the party.

    “He also reminded the Governor that the resolutions reached during the interactive session with Vice-President Yemi Osibanjo before the last general elections remained unimplemented.

    “Therefore, he urged the Governor to take time to read these reports as a basis for further genuine reconciliation.”

     

  • Bello to Ogah: tenants don’t dislodge landlords

    Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has advised an All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Prof. Seidu Ogah to banish the hope of ever clinching the party’s ticket from his thought.

    Mohammed has advocated direct primaries to pick the party’s standard bearer for the November 16 election. He boasted to defeat incumbent Governor Bello in a free and fair contest.

    But a statement by Bello’s spokesman, Onogwu Mohammed, dismissed Oga’s claims as “day-dream by a political neophyte” who will be trounced and humiliated during the party’s primary election billed for August.

    The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a day-dreamer whose new past time is to make fantastic claims to having some bogus political clout within our great party. But we dare say that there is no issue about who will fly the flag of the APC for the governorship election. Stakeholders within the party are unanimous that Governor Yahaya Bello is the only credible and popular candidate who can give the party victory at the November 16 governorship election.

    Read Also: Kogi APC exco splits over Yahaya Bello’s re-election bid

    “Prof. Seidu Mohammed and his imaginary supporters should know that members of the APC are politically sophisticated and would ignore the empty grandstanding of a political lightweight who has no record of winning any election in his life, not even a councillorship election.”

    Mohammed advised Oga to quietly withdraw from the race and proceed to enjoy his life in retirement after his tenure as Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

     

  • Kogi APC exco splits over Yahaya Bello’s re-election bid

    The Kogi State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has split into two factions over Governor Yahaya Bello’s bid for re-election ahead of the state’s governorship poll billed to hold on November 16.

    The split is coming on the heels of alleged adoption of Governor Bello by the state chapter, a move that is being resisted by a faction led by the State Secretary of the APC, Salam Tom Adejoh.

    Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, Adejoh debunked the alleged endorsement of Governor Bello, saying that the governor’s poor performance should not be rewarded with a second term.

    The State Secretary emphasized that the executive committee members are not in any position to endorse any aspirants, stressing that the party governorship ticket is open to every qualified party member.

    “We did not endorse anyone and we are not planning to. The party’s ticket is open to everyone in the party”, added.

    According to him, the last meeting of the state executive committee, which held on Saturday, did not discuss Bello’s endorsement.

    The party scribed dismissed media reports credited to a faction of the state executive, led by the chapter chairman, purportedly endorsing the governor for a second term.

    Read Also: Kogi APC in need of revival – Members

    Narrating the exco’s last meeting with the governor, Adejoh said, “Our discussion ended at the need for peace so that the party can move forward. He (governor) said he needed a sincere peace and we agreed on terms. There was nothing like endorsement.

    “The terms we agreed on was that our allowances and other packages that we are entitled to would be given to us and we all agreed on these terms.

    “The governor requested for the case in court to be withdrawn. We told him there are some processes to be followed. The issue of withdrawing the case is subject to another negotiation”.

    The executive members had dragged the governor to court over his refusal to pay arrears of their entitlements as party chiefs.

    On the suitability of Governor Bello’s re-election, Adejoh said, “The party has its own criteria on what they want from a candidate. If someone has performed well or is an achiever, it will speak for itself. Yahaya has been far away from us, since then he has not been properly directed.

    On the reported endorsement of the governor by traditional rulers in Kogi State at the presidential villa in Abuja last week, the party secretary said the governorship election is not a traditional affair.

    According to him, the traditional rulers are only entitled to vote at the election but that they are not in the position to decide who will be the APC candidate because they are not delegates.

    Other party chieftains that joined Adejoh at the briefing included the State Organizing Secretary, Alh. Isah Abubakar; Zonal Youth Leader, Noah Akwu; APC Bassa LGA Chairman, Mallam Isiaka Ibrahim among others.