Faleke alleges plan to declare him ‘absconded’

James Faleke, the deputy governorship candidate of Abubakar Audu in the November 21, 2015 election in Kogi state, has alleged that there are plans to describe him as “absconded” during the inauguration of Yahaya Bello as governor on Wednesday.

Faleke had refused to be running mate to Bello in the December 5 supplementary election, arguing that he ought to inherit the ticket left behind by Audu after his sudden death while the results were being announced.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) nominated Bello, who had come second in the party’s primary, to replace Audu and named Faleke as the running mate.

But Faleke opposed the decision, raising constitutional issues.

In a statement issued by Duro Meseko, the director of media and publicity of the Audu/Faleke Campaign Organisation, Faleke said there are attempts to “mischievously” announce his name as deputy governor during the swearing-in ceremony of Bello.

“I want to bring to the attention of Nigerians plans to call me out to  take oath of allegiance  as Deputy Governor to Alhaji Yahaya Bello today in Lokoja since it is the Deputy that takes oath first. The mischievous script is to announce my name for oath taking at least three times after which they would declare that the Deputy Governor-elect has absconded but would be sworn in at a later date. They would now go ahead to swear in Bello as the the Governor,” he said.

“Let me make it very clear to the good people of Kogi State and Nigerians in general that I am not Deputy to Yahaya Bello and will therefore not be present today at his inauguration. I had made my position abundantly clear to my party, the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) and Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) that I will not serve as Deputy to Bello, neither would I participate in the December 5, 2015 Supplementary election.

“A strongly worded letter was written to the leadership of APC and INEC to back up my position. It is therefore the height of political mischief for anyone to attempt to call my name for oath taking at an inauguration ceremony they know I would not be present.”

He said he was confident that the judiciary would restore the governorship mandate to him.

Meanwhile, Faleke, has tweeted a series of messages.

“What is happening in Kogi state is a rape on our democracy and I want the international community to take note,” he said.

“Fellow kogites, I have it on good authority that the authors of Impunity in APC are at it again in Kogi state.

“The plan at the inauguration of the supplementary governor today at the stadium in Lokoja will be to first call my name several times‎ and after which it will be seen as if I declined and the judge will then move on to call Yahaya Bello for inauguration.

‎”Let it be known that I was never the running mate to Yahaya Bello and INEC had accepted the fact in its reply to my petition.

“I urge all our supporters to remain calm as justice will prevail. God is the greatest and He gives power and take it at anytime.‎”