APC selects 40-year old Yahaya Bello as its replacement Kogi State governorship candidate

NIGERIA'S ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has chosen 40-year old Alhaji Yahaya Bello as its Kogi State gubernatorial candidate to replace Prince Abubakar Audu who died last weekend before the results were announced.

 

In an unprecedented political development, Prince Audu, who was the APC's flagbearer died before the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) could announce. Although Prince Audu had taken an unassailable lead over his rival, Governor Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Inec had declared the results inconclusive die to a few discrepancies in several local governments.

 

Supplementary elections are due to hold on December 5 but the passing of Prince Audu had created confusion about what would happen. His running mate Hon James Faleke had insisted that he was duly elected and Inec should declare him governor-elect, while several APC members in Kogi State wanted Prince Audu's son Mohammed to replace his father.

 

With legal threats flying all over the place amidst the confusion, the APC's national leadership decided to meet to resolve the crisis. Yesterday, the party decided that Alhaji Bello, who can second to Prince Audu in its gubernatorial primaries will be new candidate for the supplementary elections due on December 5.

 

In the APC's primaries, the late Prince Audu polled 1,109 votes, while Alhaji Bello scored 702 votes in the keenly contested contest. APC leaders are hoping that the selection of Alhaji Bello will resolve the dispute and allow it to focus on next Saturday's elections.

 

Already, Governor Wada and the PDP have asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to declare him the winner of the inconclusive state governorship elections. In his suit, Governor Wada said that in view of the death of Prince Audu, he should be declared the winner being the only surviving candidate with the majority of lawful votes cast.

 

He also asked the court to compel Inec to issue him with a certificate of return and in another application asked the court to restrain Inec from conducting the December 5 supplementary elections. Governor Wada also asked the court to issue an order of injunction restraining the APC from organising or holding a fresh primary election for the purpose of any supplementary governorship elections.