Kogi APC lawmakers want Audu’s son to replace deceased dad

Mohammed Audu

Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Kogi State House of Assembly yesterday told the national leadership of the party that they would not hesitate to impeach anyone brought in as a replacement for the late governorship candidate of the party, Prince Abubakar Audu, if the party failed to pick his first son, Mohammed.

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Addressing a news conference after a meeting with the national leadership, spokesman of the legislators, Alfa Momoh Rabiu representing Ankpa 2 Constituency, said they had collectively resolved that Mohammed Audu should replace his father as the candidate of the party.

The lawmakers spoke as supporters of Hon James Abiodun Faleke practically paralysed activities around the national secretariat for several hours as they sang and dance with placards, demanding that Faleke be made the substantive replacement for the late Audu.

Rabiu who claimed that their position had the backing of all National Assembly members from the state, members of the state executive of the party and other APC leaders in the state however said that they were not asking Faleke to abandon the ticket, but should remain deputy to Mohammed Audu.

He said: “Based on our discussion, we have taken a decision and taken our resolution to the national chairman. We are overwhelmed by the response from them, but we are still waiting for a safe landing so that Kogi will not be doomed.


“We told the national chairman that on no account should anybody be smuggled in to occupy that position which we worked for in conjunction with the late Audu, without who there will be no APC in Kogi State.

“We present to the national leadership, Prince Mohammed Audu, to replace his late father. It is not because he is the first son, but try him, he is very intelligent and equal to the task. With him, we will have the Kogi of our dream.

“We also resolved and we will appreciate if the leadership will understand that we came to complain to them with pains and tell them our position because of the commitment of our leader and we don’t want Kogi to be left in the hands of the PDP any longer.

“We are the legislators and have told the national chairman our position that in case anybody is smuggled in contrary to what we present to them, we know the best way to remove him.

“It is not a threat, but we told them that we have no intention of washing our dirty linen in public. Removing somebody is just a two minutes job for us as lawmakers in the state.

“We want the change we worked for and we want Kogi to be part of the moving train.

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“We are the electorate and we know why we are here. There will be no solution to this problem without giving us listening ear. Prince Audu was the man who went through primary before nominating Faleke as his deputy.

“We are not asking Faleke to stay away from the ticket. We equally worked with him during the campaigns. What we are saying is that it should be Mohammed Audu/Faleke ticket. The two of them must work together.”

However, supporters of Hon. Faleke who were also at the national secretariat said the best thing to do in the circumstance was to allow Faleke to step into Audu’s shoes, having been voted for alongside the late Audu.

In a letter to the National Working Committee on behalf of APC from Kogi West, signed by former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Clarence Olafemi, the Faleke supporters said they were opposed to giving the ticket to anyone who has not laboured for it, adding that Faleke should be allowed to carry on in the spirit if equity, fairness and justice.

The Nation