Trouble may be looming in Kogi State chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC, over allegation of plots to impose candidates. Some state public officials ostensibly acting on behalf of the state government are alleged to have perfected plans to impose their choices as candidates in the Kogi west Senatorial and selected House of Representatives race ahead of the party’s primaries.
Our Correspondent gathered that a stakeholders meeting of the Kogiwest Senatorial District was called on Monday at the instance of of a public official at his GRA residence and was attended by a significant number of other government appointees and party chieftains with none of the aspirants in attendance
A senior official was said to have addressed the meeting claiming he was speaking on behalf of the state government and consequently announced a one time House of Reps member from Yagba, Samuel Bamidele Aro as the consensus candidate for the Kogi west Senate.
He also announced Leke Abejide the current Lawmaker representing Yagba federal constituency who just defected from the African Democratic Congress, ADC, as the consensus Reps candidate along with Architect Salman Idris representing Kabba bunu / ijumu federal constituency.
Also, Suleiman Aguye representing Lokoja/ Koto was also announced as the consensus candidate for the zone. The plan was endorsed and seconded by other commissioners present at the meeting.
One of the stakeholders who attended the meeting was said to have vehemently opposed the endorsements saying it was a clear imposition that was capable of tearing the party apart but he was said to have been ignored as the meeting ended abruptly.
Some of the aspirants who spoke to our Correspondent over the endorsement described the whole exercise as “despicably confounding and self serving” saying there was not fairness and justice accorded the aspirants who have spent millions of Naira to purchase their nomination form.
They condemned the process leading to the meeting and its outcome. One of the aspirants who preferred not to be named rejected the endorsement and called for an open primary to determine the candidate as provided by law.
