Uproar in Kogi APC As Audu Chooses Tinubu's Loyalists As running mate

There is an uneasy calm at the moment in the All Progressives Congress, APC, in
Kogi State over the choice of Hon. Abiodun Faleke, a member of the House of
Representatives, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency of Lagos State, as the
running mate to the governorship candidate of the APC for the November 21
governorship election in the state, Alhaji Abubakar Audu.

Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, though an indigene of Kogi State, has always played
his politics in Lagos. He was a two term chairman of Ojodu Local Council
Development Area and a second term member of the House of Representatives,
representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, Lagos. During his time as a council boss
in Lagos, Abiodun Faleke was the chairman of Forum 57, a forum of LGA and
LCDA bosses in Lagos State.
Aside his prominence in the politics of Lagos State, Faleke is believed to be one
of the trusted loyalists of the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed
Tinubu.
However, his adoption as the running mate to former Governor, Abubakar Audu
may have drawn the ire of prominent members of the APC in Kogi State and
vocal indigenes of Kogi West Senatorial District, where he hails from.
Reports reaching DAILY POST suggests that several chieftains of the party in the
state are angry over Faleke’s choice, hinging their disapproval on the fact that he
is not known in Kogi political circles and do not have a political base in the state.
A visibly angry Chieftain of the party from the western part of the state, who
spoke to DAILY POST on the telephone, said the choice of Falake has only
succeeded in rubbishing all the effort they have made in building the party from
inception, asking if Okun land lacks other qualified individuals in the party that
have in the last two years contributed to its growth.
“There is no doubt that the choice of Faleke is a tactical error on the part of
Alhaji Abubakar Audu and those who promoted that choice. It is an error because
by this, they have succeeded in telling us that those who have worked hard to
build the party in the state are no good materials worthy of consideration. Why
bring somebody, who by every standard is an outsider in the politics of Kogi
State?” he queried.
Aside the issue of the “foreigner” status Faleke has been labeled with by most
active Kogi Politicians, another trouble his pairing with Audu may have is the age-
long zoning formula the western part of the state has been practicing.
This zoning formula, according to sources, may spell doom for the APC
candidate and his running mate if something urgent is not done to correct the
seeming imbalance.
A source in Lokoja confided in DAILY POST that it has never happened in the
history of Kogi West for two high ranking political office to come from the same
local government, as it is likely to happen if Audu sticks to Faleke as his running
mate.
According to the source, Senator Dino Melaye, is from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu
Local Government Area of the state while Abiodun Faleke is from Ekirin Adde,
also in Ijumu Local Government. This, the source said, will certainly be restricted
by other LGAs in the senatorial district, as it will be an injustice to them.

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The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, said if the situation is not
corrected, the APC would have willingly played into the hands of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, and ruin its chances of wrestling power from the ruling
party in state.