Kogi: How Audu Endorsed His Replacement On Dying Bed

Dr Tom Ohikere, the media aide to late Prince Abubakar Audu, has revealed that the former Kogi state governor endorsed his running mate, James Faleke as his replacement before his demise.

According to Daily Sun, he made this submission during a press conference in Lokoja, the state capital, where he also warned the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against causing more troubles for the state’s chapter of the party.

Audu, the APC flagbearer, who was leading in the state’s gubernatorial election two weeks ago before it was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was said to have endorsed Faleke because of his competence.

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Former Kogi state governor, Abubakar Audu, before his demise

After INEC ordered a supplementary election in 91 polling units across 18 local governments to take place on Saturday, December 5, 2015, the APC had been moving from one crisis to another, but finally settled for Yahaya Bello as the party’s new representative for the election.

Ohik­ere has now warned APC national chairman, Chief John Od­igie-Oyegun, to avoid any act capable setting up the state on fire, while also accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of allegedly inject­ing northern agenda, where all his governors in the 19 states must be Muslims.

“The state will not only catch fire, but the late Prince Audu will rise from the grave and unleash ter­ror on anyone involved in this conspiracy.

“Let me open up to you now. Our political mentor and father, the late Prince Audu on his dying bed, gave instruction to us (his followers) that should he not make it, the baton must be transferred to his run­ning mate, Faleke, whom he (Audu), said is capable of carrying on with his vi­sion,” he said.

While also condemning the Attorney-General of the Federation’s (AGF) over his observation, Ohikere said: “Surprisingly, all these arguments seem to have overlooked the provisions of Section 187 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended. This provision states:

“In any election to which the foregoing provision of this part of this chap­ter relates, a candidate for the office of governor of a state shall not be deemed to have been validly nomi­nated for such office unless he nominates another can­didate as his associate for his running for the office of Governor who is to occupy the office of Deputy Gov­ernor.”

Faleke had also written INEC to announce him as winner of the election, a move which has irked many of the party’s loyalists in the state, as well as the incumbent governor, Idris Wada.Meanwhile, Audu’s supporters have kicked against the candidacy of Bello, as they insist that Faleke must emerge as the governor in place of the late flagbearer.