APC primary: Group raises alarm over attempt to impose unity list on delegates

A concerned group of the APC in Kogi also known as Integrity Forum has accused Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi of using underhand tactics to jeopardize the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries of the House of Representatives in the state.

The group also revealed that the same tactic was used during the last cycle of elections three years ago, when the delegates had their right to choose a candidate but they were stampeded.

According to the group, Bello hosted a stakeholders meeting on the 25th of May, 2022 at the Ladi Kwali Hall of Sheraton Hotel where he presented a unity list of the supposed candidates of the party but cleverly said he was going to send the State Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Bello to all aspirants on the final decision taken by the party leadership.

Members of the group have urged the National leadership of the party headed by Adamu Abdullahi to call the Kogi State Leadership of the party to order immediately.

According to a statement, the Integrity Forum alerted the national chairman and the leadership of the APC to take note of the antics of the state government through the state chairman of the party.

The concerned group also urged security agencies to intervene, especially the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the military, stressing that life and safety of all other aspirants, their supporters, party faithful, and delegates must be guaranteed and protected.

Part of the statement read:

“It is important to note that actions that undermine the judicious process of elections is against the tenets of democracy as the delegates should be allowed to elect a candidate (s) of their choice so as to have worthy and generally acceptable candidates to fly the flag of the party at the state and national level.

“The state chairman, Abdullahi Bello, all the political appointees as well as executive chairmen of the local governments who were to lead the delegates to the venues of the primaries should be cautioned to allow the delegates to vote for the aspirants of their choice.

“Kogi state should lead by example because the governor of the state, who is also aspiring to be a president of the nation and has insisted on party primaries either by direct or indirect.

“He should caution the state chairman to do the right thing in strict compliance with the tenets of democracy where justice, equity and fairness is allowed to reign.”