By Musa Tanimu Nasidi
Indications are strong that the All Progressive Congress ( APC) may not come out strong in Lokoja/ Kogi Federal Constituency in next year’s general elections based on the outcome of the just concluded parties’ primary elections.
Investigations carried out by THEANALYSTNG revealed that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) are dangerously posing a serious and fresh threat to the APC.
After APC’s primary elections meant to elect candidates to represent it in all levels of the 2023 general elections, most of the aspirants who lost the parties’ nominations felt disenchanted and in the process, indirectly embraced either PDP or NNPP in order to support their respective Aspirants in the parties.
In some instances, leading aspirants who felt the leadership of the party would not look towards their direction left APC long before the primary elections were conducted, while some contested against the interest of Governor’s anointed candidates.
THEANALYSTNG can authoritatively reveal that the mass exodus that has hit APC in the Kogi local government area in the last two months has been highly groundswell in mode and earthshaking in application.
In Lokoja Local government area, majority of the APC members/ leaders are not happy with the leadership of the party, especially as regards the nomination of delegates to the party’s primaries,where they allegedly infringed upon the constitutional rights of the founding members of the party.
They further accused the Local government chairman, Hon. Bature, council chairman,Hon. Muhammed Danasab Muhammed and some stakeholders in the party of imposition.
Hon. Habibu Ismail,who spoke with THEANALYSTNG, explained that, they’ll not abandoned the party the worked hard to build for intruders, according to him: ‘ We’ll not leave the party for intruders because majority of us who were abandoned founded APC, we’ll remain and fight them until we return the APC to it position as it was before they destroyed it” Ismail vowed .
The recent impeachment of member representing Lokoja 2 constituency and former Deputy Majority leader,HON. Idris Ndako,who is described by his teaming followers as the “Bulldozer of Lokoja 11 Politics” is another factors many political analysts sees as may be another factor that may led to the mass exodus of aggrieved APC member in the two local government areas
According to the Mr James Abraham, a public analyst,said Hon. Ndako commands a numbers of followers across the two local governments,
” The former deputy majority leader commands respect and followers across Lokoja/ Kogi federal Constituency, after rigging him out you added salt into injuries by impeaching him. How do you expect his supporters to work for the party, without setting up a reconciliation committee to mend fences. Similar problems is playing in Kogi local government area,where Galadiman Igu Kingdom,Hon Saidu Akawu Salihu a leading politician who also seen by his admirers as ” political techtecian and patient leader” feel abandoned by the party despite of his untiring efforts towards the success of APC as Deputy campaign Director,Audu/ Faleke 2015.” Abraham stated.
Most annoying, according to a source is the comatose administrative situation of Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration.
The source said Bello had since one and half year ago abandoned state for his presidential ambition, the source further lamented that since his defect at the just concluded APC presidential Primary, he has refused to relocate back to the state, despite clarion calls by his party’s stakeholders.
” Image,the APC Presidential flagbearer, senator Ahmed Tinubu has since relocated back to his political base, Lagos and other contenders had since returned to their various duty posts.
This action by the leader of the party in Kogi state, leaving the state Party affairs in the hands of some emergency politicians, no doubt is an added advantage to other political parties to have their ways ahead of 2023 elections ” the sources added
The interpretation here is that the APC will certainly not garner the strength it was known for in the 2015 elections for a part of the reason that our source said.
For the party to regain her battered image,some members of the party who spoke with this paper,said the party must set up a machineries to reconcile to me with some aggrieved leaders and their followers.
“All those that emerged as the party’s flagbearers must personally set up a reconciliation committee,to be charge with the responsibility of meeting all the aggrieved party members across board
They shouldn’t wait for the party executives or leadership, if not their dreams of representing their various constituents would become a watersheds’ they warned.
