Reports from the camp of the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have it that there is crisis brewing in the party.
This is not unconnected to the emergence of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as the flagbearer of the party in Saturday’s supplementary election in the Kogi state following the demise of late Abubakar Audu, who was leading the election before his death and inconclusive election.
Leadership reports that while the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and a group loyal to him in the party are insisting that Bello’s name be struck out for James Faleke, Audu’s running mate, other party chieftains are insisting on the choice of Bello as the party’s representative in the December 5 election.
The party also has until tomorrow to present a replacement for its late governorship candidate, for the Kogi supplementary election as directed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Although Bello’s name had been submitted to INEC late Friday evening, reports emerged that some strong stakeholders in the APC want him replaced immediately with Faleke, who is believed to share the late Audu’s ideologies.
The former Lagos state governor, Tinubu, a reliable source informed, is said to favour the candidacy of Faleke or no one else will step into the late Audu’s shoes and following the Jagaban’s stance the party’s national chairman, Chief John Oyegun argued that they may end up not having any candidate for the Kogi supplementary governorship election.
“The argument being canvassed now is that it should not be Bello because he allegedly worked against the late Audu’s bid to become governor. There is so much pressure on us to withdraw Bello’s candidacy in view of the crisis that the choice has generated as well as the fierce protest it is causing in Kogi State.
“Right now, we are at a crossroad because nothing has divided the party like the choice of governorship candidate for the Kogi supplementary poll. Our only saving grace is that INEC has given the party till Tuesday (tomorrow) to take a final stand on the matter.
“As we speak, national leader of the party, Asiwaju Tinubu and his group are insisting on the withdrawal of Yahaya Bello, while another group supporting Bello are also kicking that Bello’s nomination remained. The chairman is presently confused and threatening to withdraw Bello’s name and Falake’s thereby leaving the party without any candidate,” the source, a top member of the APC, informed.
