Abubakar Audu’s running mate in the November 21, 2015 election in Kogi state, James Faleke has raised an alarm over plans to declare him “absconded” during the inauguration of Yahaya Bello as governor on Wednesday, January 27, 2016.
This is contained in a statement issued by Duro Meseko, the director of media and publicity of the Audu/Faleke Campaign Organisation. Read the statement:
“I want to bring to the attention of Nigerians plans to call me out to take oath of allegiance as Deputy Governor to Alhaji Yahaya Bello today in Lokoja since it is the Deputy that takes oath first. The mischievous script is to announce my name for oath taking at least three times after which they would declare that the Deputy Governor-elect has absconded but would be sworn in at a later date. They would now go ahead to swear in Bello as the the Governor,” he said.
“Let me make it very clear to the good people of Kogi State and Nigerians in general that I am not Deputy to Yahaya Bello and will therefore not be present today at his inauguration. I had made my position abundantly clear to my party, the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) and Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) that I will not serve as Deputy to Bello, neither would I participate in the December 5, 2015 Supplementary election.
“A strongly worded letter was written to the leadership of APC and INEC to back up my position. It is therefore the height of political mischief for anyone to attempt to call my name for oath taking at an inauguration ceremony they know I would not be present.” He said he was confident that the judiciary would restore the governorship mandate to him.
Going by the situation on ground, there is going to be no deputy governor at the inauguration in Lokoja.
