Bello In Secret Pact With Late Audu's Supporters As APC Sets To Formally Unveil Him Tomorrow

Alhaji Yahaya Bello, whose name the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) National Working Committee (NWC) has forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as replacement for the late Prince Abubakar Audu in Kogi State Governorship election, has made overtures to the late politician’s loyalists and urged them to support him in the supplementary election.

A staunch member of Prince Audu’s Campaign Organisation who attended a late night meeting with Alhaji Bello on Friday told our reporters that the

Wada, PDP Heads To Court Over Kogi Polls

Cap. Idris Wada, Kogi State Governor

Captain Idris Wada and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has resolved to drag the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and probably the Attorney Genera of the Federation to court over order to the ruling All Progressives Congress to make fresh replacement with the dead Prince Abubakar Audu following in inconclusive election result.

The opposition party prefers a fresh poll.

According to The Nation, a source close to Governor Idris Wada said the PDP candidate will go to court because INEC cannot take a decision on a constitutional issue outside the court.

The PDP and Governor Wada last night concluded plans to head for court.

An aide of the governorsaid: “In the days ahead, there will be a lot of legal fireworks because the issue at hand is purely a constitutional matter. What INEC ought to have done was to approach the court for the interpretation of the situation at hand. Instead, INEC has decided to usurp the powers of the court.

“By the decision of INEC, the electoral body is saying that the votes cast for the late  Prince Abubakar Audu were still valid in death. That is a strange phenomenon when even if a party in a court dies, the case becomes dead.

“We will not accept INEC’s position at all, we will instead go to court for a declaration on this constitutional crisis.

The source added: “We will be asking for the interpretation of three issues: These are:

the validity of the votes cast for the late Abubakar Audu;
whether or not the timeline for primaries and substitution of candidates have not elapsed;
whether or not a fresh governorship election is the proper thing in this peculiar circumstance.

Gov. Wada Sacks 15 LG Chairmen For Defecting To APC

Gov. Idris Wada of Kogi State

The ousting Kogi State governor, Idris Wada has sacked all 15 local government Chairmen in the state who defected to the ruling All progressives Congress, APC, shortly before Saturday's election.

The sack which is contained in a statement issued in Lokoja and signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr James Adedoyin in Lokoja.

The statement cited section 20 sub section ( 1) and section 36 sub section 1 (d) of Kogi State Local Government Law 2000 as amended to back the action.

It explained that the sacked chairmen can no longer remain in office having decamped from the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) that sponsored them.

Some of the affected council chairmen include that of Lokoja, Ogori-Magongo, Idah, Adavi, Ankpa, Okehi, Bassa, Yagba East, Yagba West and Okene among others.

They defected to the APC during the grand finale of its governorship campaign held in Lokoja on Nov. 18.

The statement warned the sacked council chairmen to stay away from offices, directing the vice chairmen or the council leaders to take over the affairs of the affected councils as may be appropriate.

The governor said the handing and taking over should be completed by Wednesday Nov. 25, the statement said.

One of the grounds for their defection was the refusal of Wada to implement a decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Oct 29 that nullified the removal of the elected chairmen from office.

They were removed from office based on the order of a Kogi State High Court sitting in Koton Karfe which ruled that the election of May 4, 2013 which brought them into office was faulty.

Relying on the judgment, Kogi State Government asked the chairmen and councillors to vacate office but the affected officials approached the Appeal Court which set aside the ruling and declared that they resume immediately.

Kogi state government refused to give effect to the ruling until Nov. 23.