Market women, youths, motorists and Okada riders took to the streets to celebrate the nomination of Bello, who is in line to be the first person from the dominant Igala ethnic stock to be governor of the state.
Earlier yesterday, Faleke had forged an agreement with Mohammed Audu, son of the late Prince Abubakar Audu for the two of them to work together. Under the agreement, Faleke would be projected as governor and Mohammed as deputy.
Among those present at the meeting between Faleke and Mohammed Audu were former PDP governorship aspirant, Jibril Isah Echocho; former Minister for Police Affairs, Humphrey Abah; and a member of the House of Representatives, Ismail Hussein.
Following the closed door meeting, Faleke addressed the crowd outside Audu’s Lokoja home and affirmed his determination to ensure he claims his mandate.
“We are here before you today in all humility and in deep sorrow over the unfortunate incident and happenings in our dear state, the Confluence State, a state with so much potentials but which has continued to fall victim under impotent and incompetent leadership since the trail blazing performance of our leader, late Prince Abubakar Audu; a man of style and competence who combined quality with humaneness, a man who detested injustice and oppression throughout his eventful lifetime, a man loved by our people for his philanthropy and general candour.
“So sad and unfortunate that just about when the celebration of our hard won victory began, where we defeated an incumbent government, a darkness was cast on the family, the state and indeed the nation with the loss to the cold hands of death of Prince Abubakar Audu. The joy of celebrating the much expected leadership and much deserved landslide victory of the historic election of November 21 was put on hold.
“As if waiting for the demise of this great and illustrious son of the land, the reactionaries pounced in on the situation and made fruitless attempts at truncating the process that ordinarily should have led to a smooth transition of power from the visionless and clueless handlers of our state to a new path of rescuing the state.
“It is on this basis that we address you today as a family, the biological and political family left behind by the late sage to state clearly that in view of the position of the law, the constitution and the Electoral Act, that the INEC erred by declaring the election inconclusive. While our lawyers have swung into action in getting a legal redress of the quagmire in which the enemies of our state have plunged us, we remain steadfast and resolute in defending the mandate that the good people of Kogi state bestowed on the Audu/Faleke ticket and by extension the APC.
“As it stands today, I remain the only person holding on to those votes cast for our party and no other person, going back to the primary election conducted on the August 28, 2015 whose life span expired immediately Prince Abubakar Audu emerged the candidate and the party requested him to nominate a Deputy in accordance to the constitution provision in section 187.”
Faleke who also said he stood a beneficiary of late Audu’s primary victory by virtue of section 187 of the constitution, took a swipe at Bello for wanting to benefit from the party that he (Yahaya) worked against at the poll.
“Muhammed Audu, the first son of Prince Abubakar Audu and myself are on the same page on this matter and have both resolved to do the right thing by the law”.
Audu’s son, Muhammed on his own said, it will amount to ‘political stealing’ if Bello is used to replace his late father, “A thief cannot come into your house in the middle of the night and say he owns your property. He can only steal it.
(Facing the crowd) “Nobody can steal your mandate. This is what my father stood for and this is what we shall all stand for. Just remember him in your prayer”.
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Politics