Kogi APC Battles Oshiomhole Over Plot To Deny Yahaya Bello Ticket

* I Am Not Aware Of The Protest – Yahaya Bello

Ahead of the November 2 governorship election in Kogi state,
some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state
will today storm the National Headquarters of the party in Abuja to
protest alleged plans by the party leadership to deny the state
governor, Yahaya Bello the party’s ticket.

Daily Independent gathered that the protesters, who are staunch
loyalists of the governor are drawn from the 21 local government
areas of the state.

Speaking to Daily Independent, Jonah Adavi, one of the
protesters who claimed to be a card-carrying member of the party
said he would join other loyalists of the governor to “caution
Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and other members of the party’s National
Working Committee to refrain from carrying out the wishes of some
powerful individuals outside the state who are hell-bent on denying
Governor Bello a second term”.

According to him, some of them have already left Kogi for Abuja
on Tuesday where they will be joined by indigenes of the state
residents in Abuja.

“We are protesting because we don’t want the politics of Kogi to
be determined by some outsiders who are not even residents in Kogi.
Even before the primary, we are already getting feelers that
Governor Bello would be denied the party’s ticket. That is what we
don’t want”.

“If the party wants direct primary in Kogi, we are okay by it.
If it is by delegates voting, we are also comfortable with it. If
Yahaya Bello lost in a free and fair primary, we have no problem
with that. After all, he didn’t win the primary in 2015 but God
ordained him as the governor,” he said.

Reacting, Governor Bello who spoke through Onogwu Mohammed, his
Chief Press Secretary (CPS) said he was not aware of the
development, directing our correspondent to speak with the state
executives of the party.

“We are not aware of that. Since they are not going for a
government function, we cannot be in the picture. If it has to do
with the party, then it is the party people that will be in the
best position to explain, not the state government”.

On whether he has started reaching out to party leaders who are
rumoured to be opposed to his reelection bid, Mohammed said the
governor is focused on governance is eight months away and the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not given the
go-ahead for campaigns in the state.