Governor Yahaya Bello has the Kogi arm of the APC in each other’s faces following a vote of no confidence passed against him by the State Executive council. Some stakeholders in the state have also called on the governor to resign from his post. Ward executives across the 21 local government councils and the youths wing of the party, on the other hand, are totally in support of the governor, thereby splitting the party into two separate factions.
The governor and the state leaders of the party have a less than cordial relationship with the SEC even writing a letter to the party’s national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, claiming that since the governor assumed office, he had not related with the party, alleging that Bello had completely ignored the party in the scheme of things, particularly in the appointments made so far.
The party also urged the national secretariat not to allow the governor nominate replacement for the late Minister of State for Labour, Chief James Ocholi, to avoid a repeat of appointing a non-party member as a minister representing the state in the Federal Executive Council.
The youths, on the other hand have taken the governor in. The party youths and ward leaders passed a vote of confidence on the governor showing satisfaction with his performance so far.
State APC youth leader, Emmanuel Ayobami and spokesperson of the wards leaders, Deborah Oyiza in a separate briefing yesterday, stated that the will of the party leaders was quite different from theirs.
According to them: “Certain individuals and interest groups within the rank and file of APC in Kogi State are making public a dishonourable intent to subvert the APC government of Governor Yahaya Bello. As governor of Kogi, Bello remains the APC leader in the state. The agents of confusion have sworn to put all manners of impediment in the path of the new administration in order to derail the New Direction to peace, unity and progress in which the governor has started moving Kogi State after many years of ruin by previous administrations.”
Governor Yahaya himself, through his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Abdulkarim Abdulmalik weighed in on the matter, claiming that he was well withing his rights to pick his appointees from any party he wished.
“It is my constitutional responsibility to appoint my personal aides without any recourse to the party or group of people, provided the person meets the requirement as stipulated by law of the land”. Governor Yahaya said.
The governor also added that he was oblivious of any petitions against him. He stated that he is running things in a fair manner with any APC member free to recommend someone for office so long as the person was qualified for the position.