posted by Som Offor.
A coalition of All Progressive Congress (APC) leaders from the west and central senatorial zones of Kogi state have endorsed Alhaji Suleiman Baba Ali as their sole candidate for the governorship race.
While making the declaration yesterday, August 9, in Lokoja, the state capital, the coalition chairman, Professor Eyitayo Lambo said Ali was chosen because he represents a bridge between the old and younger generations of the people of the west and central zones. He expressed optimism that Ali has an edge over other aspirants in preserving the ideals of the zones.
The spokesperson of the committee, Alhaji Yusuf Tawari, informed journalists after the meeting that several screenings were undertaken before arriving at Ali as the only choice of the zone to fly the flag of the APC in the guber poll slated for November 29, 2015.
Tawari said that all the 16 aspirants from the zones who had picked the APC nomination forms were screened by the committee before arriving at the conclusion. He also urged other aspirants to accept the decision in good faith even as he appealed to them to work assiduously to ensure that the candidate of the zones emerge victorious at the primary election.
Speaking on his endorsement as the consensus candidate, Ali described it as God’s will and that of the people of the zones, emphasising that he needs the support of other aspirants to guarantee him victory at the August 29, APC primary election.
Ali promised not to betray the confidence reposed in him by the people of the zones. He also thanked the committee for their verdict on him as the sole aspirant form the zone.
“I see this development as moral victory and victory to all other aspirants in these two zones. I salute their maturity in accepting the committee’s resolution. I have no doubt that they will join hands with me and the party to ensure our success in the forth coming primary election,” he said.
A member of the committee, Mr Kayode Ariyo expressed satisfaction with the decision, noting that it was the first time the west and central zones in the state are agreeing on a sole candidate to wrest power from the eastern zone which has ruled the state since its creation.
But in a swift reaction to the supposed endorsement, prominent members of the party have noted that the statements credited to the spokesperson of the screening committee, Tawari, was untrue.
Dr. Tunde Arosanyin, a member of the committee denied the statement credited to Tawari, saying that there was no final decision reached on the representative of the coalition yet.
In his words: “The meeting observed that out of about 18 aspirants from the West and Central senatorial districts, three names; Hon. Clarence Olafemi, Dr. Onukaba Ojo and Alhaji Suleiman Baba Ali, were recurring decimals.
“It therefore resolved that the forum should sustain engagement with all stakeholders: the political class, delegates, aspirants and opinion leaders, to build a consensus on power shift. No communiqué was issued by the Dr. Tom Adaba-led media committee because no concrete decision was taken.”
A leading aspirant from Kogi central senatorial district and former special adviser to former vice-president, Onukaba Ojo described the news circulated by some elements in the party as mischievous and contrary to what actually transpired at the meeting.
He, however, said talks were still ongoing on who is best to represent the coalition.
“The objective was to present a common front against our brothers and sisters from Kogi East that have been at the helm of affairs since Kogi was created 24 years ago.
“However, two of the conveners of the alliance, Professor Y. O. Aliyu and Alhaji Yusuf Idris Tawari, decided to stage manage the selection process to adopt their preferred candidate.
“The people of Kogi Central have rejected the so called consensus candidate. The Okun Yoruba people have equally rejected the choice because it lacked integrity and transparency. It is an exercise in futility. Some of us believe that Prof. Aliyu and Alhaji Tawari have been used by a powerful aspirant to destabilise the group.
“I have bought my nomination form and so have nine others from Central and West. Efforts are now being made by the two zones to produce a governorship candidate and a deputy out of the 10 aspirants in the two zones. There is no consensus candidate yet. Anyone peddling such a story is not being truthful,” Onukaba stated.
There has been pockets of crises in the APC as the state prepares for its governorship elections coming up in November. Threat messages, political assassinations and any other means of ensuring that opposing candidates are scared out of the race are usually adopted by politicians.
The APC which is the latest bride in Nigeria’s political arena will have to get its house in order if it must wrestle power from the Peoples Democratic Party who currently governs the state.
A coalition of All Progressive Congress (APC) leaders from the west and central senatorial zones of Kogi state have endorsed Alhaji Suleiman Baba Ali as their sole candidate for the governorship race.
While making the declaration yesterday, August 9, in Lokoja, the state capital, the coalition chairman, Professor Eyitayo Lambo said Ali was chosen because he represents a bridge between the old and younger generations of the people of the west and central zones. He expressed optimism that Ali has an edge over other aspirants in preserving the ideals of the zones.
The spokesperson of the committee, Alhaji Yusuf Tawari, informed journalists after the meeting that several screenings were undertaken before arriving at Ali as the only choice of the zone to fly the flag of the APC in the guber poll slated for November 29, 2015.
Tawari said that all the 16 aspirants from the zones who had picked the APC nomination forms were screened by the committee before arriving at the conclusion. He also urged other aspirants to accept the decision in good faith even as he appealed to them to work assiduously to ensure that the candidate of the zones emerge victorious at the primary election.
Speaking on his endorsement as the consensus candidate, Ali described it as God’s will and that of the people of the zones, emphasising that he needs the support of other aspirants to guarantee him victory at the August 29, APC primary election.
Ali promised not to betray the confidence reposed in him by the people of the zones. He also thanked the committee for their verdict on him as the sole aspirant form the zone.
“I see this development as moral victory and victory to all other aspirants in these two zones. I salute their maturity in accepting the committee’s resolution. I have no doubt that they will join hands with me and the party to ensure our success in the forth coming primary election,” he said.
A member of the committee, Mr Kayode Ariyo expressed satisfaction with the decision, noting that it was the first time the west and central zones in the state are agreeing on a sole candidate to wrest power from the eastern zone which has ruled the state since its creation.
But in a swift reaction to the supposed endorsement, prominent members of the party have noted that the statements credited to the spokesperson of the screening committee, Tawari, was untrue.
Dr. Tunde Arosanyin, a member of the committee denied the statement credited to Tawari, saying that there was no final decision reached on the representative of the coalition yet.
In his words: “The meeting observed that out of about 18 aspirants from the West and Central senatorial districts, three names; Hon. Clarence Olafemi, Dr. Onukaba Ojo and Alhaji Suleiman Baba Ali, were recurring decimals.
“It therefore resolved that the forum should sustain engagement with all stakeholders: the political class, delegates, aspirants and opinion leaders, to build a consensus on power shift. No communiqué was issued by the Dr. Tom Adaba-led media committee because no concrete decision was taken.”
A leading aspirant from Kogi central senatorial district and former special adviser to former vice-president, Onukaba Ojo described the news circulated by some elements in the party as mischievous and contrary to what actually transpired at the meeting.
He, however, said talks were still ongoing on who is best to represent the coalition.
“The objective was to present a common front against our brothers and sisters from Kogi East that have been at the helm of affairs since Kogi was created 24 years ago.
“However, two of the conveners of the alliance, Professor Y. O. Aliyu and Alhaji Yusuf Idris Tawari, decided to stage manage the selection process to adopt their preferred candidate.
“The people of Kogi Central have rejected the so called consensus candidate. The Okun Yoruba people have equally rejected the choice because it lacked integrity and transparency. It is an exercise in futility. Some of us believe that Prof. Aliyu and Alhaji Tawari have been used by a powerful aspirant to destabilise the group.
“I have bought my nomination form and so have nine others from Central and West. Efforts are now being made by the two zones to produce a governorship candidate and a deputy out of the 10 aspirants in the two zones. There is no consensus candidate yet. Anyone peddling such a story is not being truthful,” Onukaba stated.
There has been pockets of crises in the APC as the state prepares for its governorship elections coming up in November. Threat messages, political assassinations and any other means of ensuring that opposing candidates are scared out of the race are usually adopted by politicians.
The APC which is the latest bride in Nigeria’s political arena will have to get its house in order if it must wrestle power from the Peoples Democratic Party who currently governs the state.
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