‘We’ll occupy Kogi if Faleke is not declared Governor-elect by Jan 10’

on December 21, 2015  

By Michaels Updates

 

Ahead of the January 27, 2015 inauguration of a new government in Kogi State,  a group, the Faleke Solidarity Movement (FSM), has warned that if Abiodun Faleke was not declared the Governor-Elect of the state by January 10, 2016, it would ground activities in the state.

                                 Faleke and Bello

Giving the ultimatum in a communique released after its End-of-the-Year meeting in Kabba, the FSM said the declaration of Alh. Yahaya Bello as Governor-Elect is a travesty of justice.

The group insisted that Faleke was the right person to replace the late Prince Abubakar Audu, since they both contested on the same ticket.

The communique read: “It is unfortunate that INEC took the path of illegality by declaring Yahaya Bello as the Governor-Elect of the state. Faleke was on the same ticket with the late Prince Abubakar Audu and they had won the election before Audu’s death.

“As a group, we cannot be intimidated by the threat of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress who have shown its bias against the emergence of Faleke. A party that promises change shouldn’t be seen to be defiling the constitution with impunity.

“We give INEC till January 10, 2016 to declare Faleke as Governor-Elect or we will mobilize our members across the state to occupy Lokoja until the needful is done. INEC should be prevailed upon not to plunge this nation into unimaginable crisis.”

However, Bello Support Organization, a political group that supported the emergence of Alh. Yahaya Bello as Governor-Elect of the state has assured Kogites that the government of Yahaya Bello will improve the welfare of the Kogi people.

The group called on youths and women in the state to resist being used by politicians to disrupt the peace of the state, assuring that the APC remains a united front for the advancement of people’s possibility.

“We are aware of efforts at reconciling aggrieved parties in the governorship poll in the state. These efforts must be given a chance to succeed instead of overheating the polity. The Deputy Governor-Elect is a gentleman who will not want to throw the state into crisis. We hereby call on his supporters to ensure APC remains one indivisible entity in Kogi State.”