Kogi: Stakeholders caution APC, Buhari against fielding Bello for 2nd term
The Kogi State APC Stakeholders Forum has said the ruling APC will lose the November 2, 2019, governorship election in the state if the incumbent, Governor Yahaya Bello, is fielded.
The Chairman of the forum, Sen. Alex Kadiri, in a letter dated April 15, and addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari on behalf of the stakeholders, said the traumatised people of Kogi State and most especially the APC family had had enough of Yahaya Bello.
The stakeholders said any attempt to foist a “non-performing governor as candidate” by the party or the powers that be would be a great national disservice.
They expressed concern that the effort of the two separate panels constituted by the party and the intervention of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had failed to address the crisis rocking the Kogi State chapter of the APC.
The letter read in part, “The APC, of which you are the leader, must have the courage to say no to Yahaya Bello’s desire to remain Governor of Kogi State, for history will judge all of us for all our actions and inactions where and when we had the authority and opportunity to effect a positive change in the affairs of men.
“Citizens of Kogi State, regardless of our party affiliations, are not slaves to Yahaya Bello and will say no to Yahaya Bello’s continued stay in office for issues relating to unpaid salaries, pension and gratuities of Kogi workers.
The group gave other reasons to include allegedly wasting and fraudulent use of funds that accrued to Kogi State since inception of the APC administration of Yahaya Bello.
“Governor Yahaya Bello was never elected by the good people of Kogi State. The death of Abubakar Audu made it possible for Yahaya Bello to be Kogi State governor. He has shown everyone that he lacks leadership abilities. He can’t fight for the rights and privileges of Kogi people,” the group said.