Engr. Kayode Adegbayo
Engr. Kayode Adegbayo
is a former House of Representatives candidate who contested for Yagba
Federal Constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) in the last general elections but lost. In this interview, he
speaks on the ensuing political crises in Kogi State after the death of
Prince Abubakar Audu and why the people should support the
governor-elect, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. Excerpts:
What is your take on the recent political situation in Kogi state?
As a stakeholder in the APC in Kogi state, I have mixed feelings. This is so because I was close to the late Prince Audu while he was alive. I have this sad feeling that we lost him. For those who know Prince Audu, for those who know his greatness in politics and his zeal for development of Kogi, losing such a giant will no doubt make one feel depressed. But to those who were close to him, all the meetings that we had opportunity of having with him, what was paramount what his decision and determination to ensure power shift in the nearest future. He continuously said that by God's grace, he is the one that is going to shift power, that he would ensure that power shifts to other minority parts of the state. As we are mourning him, we are also happy on the other hand that power has finally shifted to other minority parts of the state because no matter how one particular tribe in the state is trying, no matter the level of development, no matter the efforts, if power remains persistently in one side of the society, you know the other parts will not be happy. It means they will not feel belong in such state. In fact, in Nigeria as a country, that was what happened. When the North was dominantly in power at a point, there were agitations from other geo-political zones to also control power.
It is good to give other people the opportunity to govern and see what they can do in the society. As it is now, we are very happy that power has finally shifted. As somebody who has suffered and known how much we have pushed for this power shift, whether it is shifted to central or west, we are comfortable with it and give God the glory.
But the running mate to the late Audu, James Abiodun Faleke, who is an Okun person as yourself is aggrieved that he is being denied the opportunity to enjoy his joint ticket. What do you have to say on that?
People should fear God. The demise of Prince Audu is not enough to teach people lesson. I am from the West. I'm an Okun man. Faleke is an Okun man. Faleke was not with us when we did membership registration of this party. We never had a governor from the APC. We never had commissioners, no member of National Assembly, it was those who wanted to contest elections who were funding the party and sustained members of the party. Even from the registration exercise to the conduct of our congresses, Hon. Faleke was never around. Let me tell you something, 27 persons along with Prince Audu contested the governorship primaries, including Alhaji Bello. All these people went round the whole state, the nooks and crannies, soliciting support from the delegates. They spent their resources and time. When I contested for the House of Representatives, I know how much I put in.
After the primary election which was won by the late Audu, none of the 27 contestants who took part in the primaries were considered for the deputy governorship position. Hon. Faleke was imposed on the party. He was imposed on us possibly because of his relationship with the leader of the party. There was no consultation with party leaders from the West before his emergence. And we took the whole thing in good faith. All of us rallied round him and we supported him. We went round with him to all the places and garnered the votes. There was no point for Faleke to start agitating for the governorship position in the first place. What Faleke contested for was the deputy governorship position. So, why is he suddenly agitating to become the governor? Faleke should be grateful to God and respect party supremacy.
I feel that Hon. Faleke should look at the background of where he is coming from, he should look at how the party was lenient with him even when he did not work for it. I feel that by now, Faleke should have accepted and believed that it is the programme of God. What is paramount to us is for Kogi to move forward. Look at how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rendered us hopeless by making the state underdeveloped in the last 16 years. Anybody who has the interest of Kogi at heart at this time will drop every selfish ambition and rally round Yahaya Bello. The party has taken a very wonderful position because the party has looked at all the legal grounds and the safest path to thread is to stick to what the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) directed.
The INEC requested for substitution of the late governorship candidate and the best option is to pick the runner up in the last primaries. There is no constitutional protection for Faleke to take the governorship seat. The PDP will just go to court and take the mandate.
What is your take on the recent political situation in Kogi state?
As a stakeholder in the APC in Kogi state, I have mixed feelings. This is so because I was close to the late Prince Audu while he was alive. I have this sad feeling that we lost him. For those who know Prince Audu, for those who know his greatness in politics and his zeal for development of Kogi, losing such a giant will no doubt make one feel depressed. But to those who were close to him, all the meetings that we had opportunity of having with him, what was paramount what his decision and determination to ensure power shift in the nearest future. He continuously said that by God's grace, he is the one that is going to shift power, that he would ensure that power shifts to other minority parts of the state. As we are mourning him, we are also happy on the other hand that power has finally shifted to other minority parts of the state because no matter how one particular tribe in the state is trying, no matter the level of development, no matter the efforts, if power remains persistently in one side of the society, you know the other parts will not be happy. It means they will not feel belong in such state. In fact, in Nigeria as a country, that was what happened. When the North was dominantly in power at a point, there were agitations from other geo-political zones to also control power.
It is good to give other people the opportunity to govern and see what they can do in the society. As it is now, we are very happy that power has finally shifted. As somebody who has suffered and known how much we have pushed for this power shift, whether it is shifted to central or west, we are comfortable with it and give God the glory.
But the running mate to the late Audu, James Abiodun Faleke, who is an Okun person as yourself is aggrieved that he is being denied the opportunity to enjoy his joint ticket. What do you have to say on that?
People should fear God. The demise of Prince Audu is not enough to teach people lesson. I am from the West. I'm an Okun man. Faleke is an Okun man. Faleke was not with us when we did membership registration of this party. We never had a governor from the APC. We never had commissioners, no member of National Assembly, it was those who wanted to contest elections who were funding the party and sustained members of the party. Even from the registration exercise to the conduct of our congresses, Hon. Faleke was never around. Let me tell you something, 27 persons along with Prince Audu contested the governorship primaries, including Alhaji Bello. All these people went round the whole state, the nooks and crannies, soliciting support from the delegates. They spent their resources and time. When I contested for the House of Representatives, I know how much I put in.
After the primary election which was won by the late Audu, none of the 27 contestants who took part in the primaries were considered for the deputy governorship position. Hon. Faleke was imposed on the party. He was imposed on us possibly because of his relationship with the leader of the party. There was no consultation with party leaders from the West before his emergence. And we took the whole thing in good faith. All of us rallied round him and we supported him. We went round with him to all the places and garnered the votes. There was no point for Faleke to start agitating for the governorship position in the first place. What Faleke contested for was the deputy governorship position. So, why is he suddenly agitating to become the governor? Faleke should be grateful to God and respect party supremacy.
I feel that Hon. Faleke should look at the background of where he is coming from, he should look at how the party was lenient with him even when he did not work for it. I feel that by now, Faleke should have accepted and believed that it is the programme of God. What is paramount to us is for Kogi to move forward. Look at how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rendered us hopeless by making the state underdeveloped in the last 16 years. Anybody who has the interest of Kogi at heart at this time will drop every selfish ambition and rally round Yahaya Bello. The party has taken a very wonderful position because the party has looked at all the legal grounds and the safest path to thread is to stick to what the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) directed.
The INEC requested for substitution of the late governorship candidate and the best option is to pick the runner up in the last primaries. There is no constitutional protection for Faleke to take the governorship seat. The PDP will just go to court and take the mandate.
Read more at http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/politics/-why-faleke-should-abandon-his-governorship-ambition/125889.html#MtLUGFlpFvVfCr6i.99
No comments:
Post a Comment