APC replaces late Audu with Yahaya Bello

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had requested APC to send a substitute candidate, and fixed December 5 for a supplementary election, but the party is yet to present any candid‎ate.

It would be recalled that Okunbor dragged INEC and APC to the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking the stoppage of another of Kogi governorship election after the demise of the APC candidate.

But the national publicity secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, said his party would challenge the APC’s latest decision in court.

WorldStage Newsonline-As earlier forecasted by WorldStage Newsonline, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has picked Yahaya Bello as its replacement for Prince Abubakar Audu in the inconclusive Kogi State’s governorship poll.

Reacting to the choice of Bello, Dr Tom Ohikere, head of media, Abubakar Audu/James Faleke Campaign Organisation, described the decision to replace the late Audu with Bello, who came second in the primary as “illegal and moral burden” on Oyegun and other members of the national working committee. James Abiodun Faleke, was retained as the party’s deputy governorship candidate.

Insisting that their threat to remove any candidate that emerged from the proposed primary was no threat but a fact, Rabiu appealed to the APC leadership to respect their wish.

Wada and PDP further asked the court to declare that: “having regards to the provisions of Section 141 of the Electoral Act, 2010, votes scored by a candidate who died during an election can not be inherited by or transferred to a person who was not a candidate at the said election and who did not participate in all stages of such election, for the goal of concluding such election”.

Malami said that the runner-up in the party primaries that produced Audu would be appropriate to replace him. I however agree that supplementary election can be proceeded with by INEC. The plaintiffs also filed another application praying the court to restrain INEC from conducting the supplementary election scheduled for December 5. It has been a very major blow to the party and, I am sure, to the entire people of Kogi State.

Ibrahim however noted with concern that the sudden death of Audu on November 22, closely followed by declaration of the election by INEC as inconclusive instantly introduced an unprecedented and multi-dimensional scenario.

Another source in the party said, “Once APC goes through the supplementary election, wins and its candidate is sworn in as governor by January, the party can now relax to face any outcome of the legal actions, even if it means ordering for a re-run, it will be a formality”. Those primaries that had taken place over time had not by anyway been nullified.

Otherwise, if the law and Constitution allow it, Kogi State would end up holding a supplementary election, which would also produce a supplementary governor.