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Members kick against Faleke as possible substitute, party disown them

The inability of the presidency to fill the ministerial slot created by the death of James Ocholi about one year ago, has thrown Kogi State chapter of All Progressive Congress (APC) into a fresh round of crisis.

The Senator representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye on Wednesday lamented the continued delay in the replacement of the Kogi State Ministerial slot after the demise of the late Minister of. The most notable name from Kogi East mentioned so far on the various social media platforms in connection with the Kogi State ministerial slot is the Igala Amazon and woman of substance whose name is synonymous to philanthropist activities, Hajiya Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma, the current National Women Leader of the APC.

Ocholi who was minister of State for Employment, was an indigene of Kogi. His party, APC has been bedeviled by internal wrangling since the governorship election that saw the emergence of Yahaya Bello as governor in place of Prince Abubakar Audu who died on the verge of victory.

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James Faleke, running mate to late Audu, had expected that Audu’a name will be substituted with his but the party leadership settled for Bello, the second runner up in the primary, to the chagrin of many members.

Though the Supreme Court has since laid the matter to rest when it affirmed the validity of Bello’s election, the Audu/Faleke’s group are still sour and it has not been well with the party ever since.

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The dust raised by the choice of Bello has not settled when the issue of Ocholi’s substitution cropped up further deepening the crack in the APC.

Faleke’s name has been bandied as possible nominee to fill the vacancy created by Ocholi’s exit. Sources claimed that it was part of the rapprochements to get APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and President Muhammadu Buhari back on one page in the party affairs.

In fact, it is believed to be one of the numerous appointments that have been lined up by the presidency to massage the ego of Tinubu who many consider relegated to the background by the central government.

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But rather than pacify the people and bring cohesion to the party, the move has further stoked the acrimony in the state chapter of APC.

The Kogi East zone where the late minister hailed from, had before now complained over the presidency’s delay in picking one of them to replace their brother that died, insisting that it was their slot. According to them, it would be a grave disservice for another to produce the minister since their son died in service.

Similarly, the APC in Kogi West warned against the choice of Faleke as it would exacerbate the crisis within the party. In a statement jointly endorsed by Alhaji Suleiman Ejibunu and Chief Richard Asaje, they contended that if Faleke and his godfather deserve any ministerial slot it couldn’t be that meant for Kogi.

They cautioned such move would lead to exit of prominent, loyal and committed members of the party as well as aggravate the fractionalized party along many divides.

“We are also unequivocally resolute to stop Tinubu’s expansion into Kogi State or any state in the North Central, we are determined to push out all his consults from Kogi come 2018/2019. It is a task that must be done through all legal/political means. They have failed and they will continue to fail,” the Kogi West APC asserted.

They claimed that Kogi APC knew Faleke that represents a Lagos State constituency in the National Assembly only during the governorship struggle when the Tinubu purportedly imposed him on them as the deputy governorship candidate to late Prince Abubakar Audu.

According to them, it generated a lot of distress to the founding members of APC in the state who built the party, battled the then sitting government in all national elections and won.

Furthermore they asked: “Faleke took the party to court up to Supreme Court and lost while some leaders have remained beggars after the massive support to build APC in the state; if those leader’s effort are left to this ugly power play with humiliation of this nature, what type of party and country are we building?”

They alleged that reconciliation was proposed, which Faleke rejected on the grounds that he cannot be reconciled with the Governor until the ‘injustice’ of taking the governorship from him is redressed, adding: “Giving him such an appointment will amount to providing him fuel to fire the breakup of APC in the state.”

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But in a dramatic turn, the State executive council of APC berated Ejibunu, Asaje and their associates described them as fifth columnists in the party.

A statement signed by the entire membership of the executive including the chairman, Alhaji Haddy A. Ametuo, said that the people lacked the locus standi to speak for it stressing that it was meant to cause disharmony among members.

“We the entire members of the state exco respect the power of the President to freely choose whoever he wants to serve in his cabinet, Hon. Faleke inclusive. We also respect the national leadership of Asinaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu whose support and influence traverses the national structures of the party.

However, Faleke in a swift reaction said that the opposition against his purported nomination was coming from “empty vessels,” noting that it was strange that the people were campaigning against a nomination that was yet to be made by the President.

The House of Representatives’ member, who denied knowledge of any such nomination, however, said those ganging up against him were working for a particular interest.

“My purported nomination as a minister is even unknown to me, but it is a fact that the choice of a minister from any state rest with the President. I will ignore the duo that spoke against my purported nomination,” he stated.

Also, he said that it was wrong for the people to have spoken against Tinubu, whom he noted, worked for the development and the victory of the APC, adding: “Tinubu is a national leader who also has followers in the North. He has nothing to benefit him in Kogi for them to view it as trying to infiltrate the state or northern politics.”

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. Photo/Twitter/LugardHouse

Ahead the reconstitution of the Federal Executive Council by President Muhammadu Buhari, various interests are already playing out in Kogi State. Prof Stephen Ocheni, who took over from the late Barrister James Ocholi from Kogi East, ended his tenure on May 28 2019, following dissolution of the council by the President.

While it is not clear if President Buhari would retain Ocheni, some individuals and groups are showing interest and have intensified lobby for the ministerial position. At the last count, no fewer than five persons have shown interest. They include, Hon Saliu Seidu Akawu (Kogi West), Senator Smart Adeyemi (Kogi West), Hon Suleiman Baba Ali (Kogi West), the immediate past Minister of State for Labour, Prof Stephen Ocheni (Kogi East), and perhaps, the latest entrant, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National woman leader, Hajia Salamatu Bawa, who is equally from Kogi East.

At different times, the state’s three senatorial districts have been represented at the Federal Executive Council. Under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Kogi West produced Prof Eyitayo Lambo, Kola Jamodu, Barrister Bayo Ojo (SAN) and General David Jemibewon, all from the Okun Yoruba speaking axis of Kogi West as ministers.

The Ebira speaking people of Kogi Central also produced Alhaji Muhammed Adoke (SAN) as minister during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.From Kogi East, Gabriel Aduku was appointed by former President Obasanjo, while Barrister Humphrey Abba was appointed into the Federal cabinet by former president Goodluck Jonathan. Akawu is believed to be banking on his loyalty and commitment to APC as a pioneer member, who was believed to have worked for the party’s victory in 2015 and 2019.

Hon Saidu Akawu Salihu was born on March 11 1964. He hails from Koto Karfe town in Kogi Local Government of the state. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, where he studied Sociology. He was appointed Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning, Kogi State between 2003 and 2005, and Commissioner of Water Resources and Rural Development between 2005 and 2007. He was appointed Chairman, Governing Board of Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria (RRIN) in 2018 to Date.

A source close to Lugard House, who desired anonymity, told The Guardian that Governor Yahaya Bello actually promised to support Akawu’s ambition in the past. He, however said because of the dynamic nature of politics, no one is sure of what would happen. Another source said Bello was presently not comfortable with Akawu’s romance with Rt. Admiral Jibril Usman, who is believed to be Bello’s main opposition within APC for the November governorship election. As it is, Akawu’s fate may just be hanging in the balance.

A group in Lokoja has charged President Buhari and Governor Bello to ensure that loyal APC members, such as Suleiman Baba, are adequately compensated in the new cabinet.In a statement signed by its Secretary, Comrade Yakubu Abubakar, the Lokoja Consultative Youth Forum (LCYF) noted that the likes of Alhaji Suleiman Baba Ali, former Commissioner of Health and a governorship aspirant in Kogi State in 2015 primaries deserve recommendation.

The group said it would join forces with other like minds to ensure that Baba Ali was considered for ministerial position under President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Yahaya Bello’s second terms. But Baba’s popularity in APC may have dwindled after the demise of Price Abubakar Audu, who was his maternal uncle.

ASIDE the fact that Senator Adeyemi is believed to be the state government’s choice, a source told The Guardian the Presidency is also favourably disposed to his ministerial ambition, due largely to his experience. Adeyemi is a two-time National president of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and a two-time senator. It is believed he is highly connected to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s office. He is from the West Senatorial district, which is currently favoured by political zoning in the state, for political balancing among the state’s three senatorial districts.

The Central currently occupies the governorship position, while the East holds the Deputy governor’s position. The source added that Adeyemi is most likely to clinch the slot, as the state government may want to compensate him, having lost the senatorial seat to his archrival, Senator Dino Melaye.

THE immediate past Minister of State for Labour, who is also in the race for Kogi ministerial slot, is banking on his connection in the Presidency. He has served in Buhari’s cabinet for almost two years. Prof Stephen Ikani Ocheni is a professor of Public Sector Accounting, and until his appointment as Minister, he was the Dean of Faculty of Management Sciences, Kogi State University, Anyigba. He hails from Uwowo in Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi. He bagged a PhD in Financial Management from University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He was said to be lobbying Governor Bello, who nominated him in the first place. He was also believed to be very loyal to the New Direction Government of Governor Bello.

According to a source, his major weakness is that he is not well grounded politically. So, he was unable to attract any meaningful development to his area or Kogi in his first outing as minister.INTERESTINGLY, the recent entrance into the race by APC National woman leader, Hajia Salamatu Bawa, is causing a stir in Kogi APC.

Hajia Bawa is said to be highly connected. Her closeness to wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari, is also considered an advantage.
A source at Government House said Governor Bello had already sent three nominees to the President. The source said Bawa’s exclusion from the list was generating serious commotion in Kogi APC and beyond, as Bawa was said to have raised objection in very high quarters.

When contacted on the development, Governor Bello’s spokesperson, Kingsley Fanwo, said: “The Minister will be appointed by the President and not the Governor, and we believe Mr. President will make the right choice that will fit into his agenda for the nation. “I would urge all to be patient and wait for the choice that will be made from Kogi State. Whoever is chosen will enjoy Governor Bello’s support and cooperation. Until the President submits the final list of ministerial nominees to the National Assembly for clearance, the lobbying continues.”