Former Kogi State Acting Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant Chief Clarence Olafemi said yesterday that he did not step down from the race.
He denied his purported agreement to be the running mate of another aspirant and urged his supporters and party members to ignore the rumour.
Another aspirant, Prince Rotimi Yaqub Obadofin, denied withdrawing from the poll.
He said those behind the rumour were afraid of primaries.
Obadofin said: “What kind of mischief is this? I was never at any meeting with anyone, so where did that rumour come from? I have my party nomination form with me, so who is afraid? Our people should simply ignore them.”
There has been uproar following the purported step down of some of the APC aspirants ahead of the August 27 primary election. Most of them are purported consensus candidates from Kogi West.
Speaking in Lokoja, Olafemi said he neither stepped down nor agreed to be a running mate.
His words: “I’ve collected my intent and governorship nomination form.
“How can somebody say I have stepped down? I am in the race to win and I’ve not stepped down for anybody, neither have I agreed to be another person’s running mate. How can they say I’ve agreed to be the running mate of Prince Abubakar Audu or any other person? These people are going too far in their campaign of calumny and I have called on my supporters to ignore them. They do not mean well for Kogi people.”
Many people, including a former Board of Trustees (BoT) member, at the weekend stormed Lokoja Township Stadium for Audu’s declaration.
Other top politicians at the event included former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Audu said the time was ripe for a change in Kogi.
He said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last 12 years ruined the state.
The aspirant enjoined the people to support his bid to secure the APC ticket.
A female governorship aspirant on the APC platform, Hajia Hadiza Ibrahim, has alleged threat to her life.
Addressing reporters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, she said she received an SMS, threatening her to dump her ambition or face the consequences.
Hajia Ibrahim said she had reported the matter to the police.