The Audu/Faleke Campaign Organisation on Saturday berated the Department of State Security, DSS, for inviting and subsequently detaining the Kogi State deputy governor-elect, James Faleke.
Faleke was the running mate to the deceased Prince Abubakar Audu, APC governorship candidate in the Nov. 21, 2015 gubernatorial election that was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Following the decision of INEC to declare the election inconclusive, Faleke is currently at the state governorship election petition tribunal seeking to be declared as the duly elected governor of the state instead of Alhaji Yahaya Bello that was picked by the party to replace deceased Audu.
Addressing newsmen in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, the Organisation’s Director of Media and Publicity, Duro Meseko said Faleke was being detained alongside Alhaji Mohammed Audu, the first son of the late Prince Abubakar Audu.
According to Maseko, the duo reported at the headquarters of the DSS on invitation at about 10 a.m. only to be detained with reasons not given.
He said, “They were kept in an office with assurances that an officer would attend to them soon only to keep them indefinitely.”
“I am surprised that my principal, Faleke and the eldest son of our political leader, Mohammed are still being kept as I speak with you, which is about 4 p.m. One is hoping that they are not trying to arm twist them into abandoning the sacred mandate freely given to Audu/Faleke ticket by the generality of Kogi people. “
Re-echoing the stance of members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state not to abandon the mandate, Maseko affirmed that “no amount of technical detention, intimidation and harassment will shake our resolve to get justice through the judiciary.”
He, however, dismissed the claim that the organisation was behind the rumour making the rounds that the presidency was behind the DSS decision to detain Faleke.
