Police Arrest late Abubakar Audu’s son, Family Members In Kogi

The Police in Kogi state have arrested the son of late Kogi state governor, Abubakar Audu, Mohammed and about 15 other members of the late governor’s family. According to the former governor’s younger brother, Mustapha, Mohammed and other family members were arrested today and are being detained at the Lokoja Police Division.

He accused the state governor of ordering the arrest of his family members. He alleged that the state governor was using the police to intimidate their family because Mohammed in a statement he released recently, mocked the governor for using the scarce resources in the state to organize an award ceremony to mark the state’s 25 years anniversary, instead of using the money to pay salaries.

Meanwhile the state governor, Yahaya Bello, has denied having any links with the arrests made.

A statement from the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Fanwo Kingsley, reads “The Governor did not order the arrest of anybody. However, law enforcement agents are free to effect arrest when anyone infringes the Law. If members of Audu family run foul of the Law, they would not be spared just because they are members of Audu’s family”.

Kogi: Stop Harassing My People – Faleke Tells Bello

The running mate of the late Prince Abubakar Audu in the November 21 governorship election in Kogi state, Hon. James Faleke has called on the state Governor, Yahaya Bello to stop harassing his supporters and kinsmen over their political tussle.
Faleke claimed that his loyalists were being framed up and arrested in questionable circumstances by the Governor.

He added that they were also charged to court simply because they do not believe in the emergence and leadership of Governor Bello.
According to the federal lawmaker, “We are law abiding citizens. When a supplementary election in Kogi was announced, of course we were angry but we did not take the laws into our hands, we took our case to the Tribunal.

“It is important for me to state clearly that some weeks ago, my community received information that my community -Ekirin-Ade, in Ijumu local government – that the wife of the governor was coming to commission a healthcare centre. A health centre built in 2007 and commissioned in 2007.

“To compound matters, the community leaders have been contributing to run the centre and the people decided to stay at home and refused to receive the governor’s wife. But the police, induced by the governor went after my supporters, breaking into their houses and arresting them.”

Faleke added that arrests of his supporters have continued unabated as security agents on Monday night, arrested one Hon. Cornelius Olowokere and was taken to the Kogi state police command and subsequently charged to court on Tuesday, April 5.
“We want the federal government to call him (Governor Bello) to order because Kogi is known for so many bad things. If you are there to govern the people, you should offer service within the time that you are there and stop harassing people.

“I’m appealing to Governor Yahaya Bello to leave our people alone.? He should leave the people of Ijumu alone.

“In Benue, it is the Fulani herdsmen killing people, but in Kogi we are talking about our own government wanting to kill our people. We have reported to the party leadership in the state. But the governor has told the chairman that the party did not vote for him. We have written to the IG of Police. I believe the IGP will take action,” he said in a statement.

Audu’s Votes Died With Him, Wada Tells INEC

Governor Idris Wada of Kogi state has categorically told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the votes garnered by late Prince Abubakar Audu of the All Progressives Congress have died with him.

 

Wada, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party said in a statement issued in Lokoja on Sunday by his Wada’s Chief Communications Manager, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, said having had more time to study the INEC’s decision, he was left with no choice but to conclude that INEC embarked on a hatchet job.

 

Wada said in view of the death of the All Progressives Congress’ candidate, Abubakar Audu, he should be declared the winner of the botched election being the only surviving candidate with the majority of lawful votes cast in the election held on November 21.

 

“Whatever votes Audu scored in the election died with him,” he said, noting that INEC simply overreached itself, and wondered why a body established to be the custodian of the rule of law would ignore the fundamentals of the rule of law in arriving at the decision not to issue him a certificate of return.

 

“To us as a party (PDP), the most egregious of the faux pas committed by INEC is asking the APC to lawfully nominate a candidate for the supplementary governorship election without a valid and legally cognizable primary election of the party conducted within the mandatory timeliness specified by the Electoral Act.

 

“It is our considered opinion that, INEC, more than any other body, ought to know that havingregards to the provisions of Section 141 of the Electoral Act, 2010, votes scored by a candidate who died during an election cannot 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 purpose of concluding such election,” he said.

 

 

Credit : PM News

27 APC Aspirants In Race To Replace Audu

Few hours after the All Progressives Congress (APC) opted for a fresh primary to fill the vacuum created by the death of its governorship candidate in November 21 polls in Kogi State, there were indications that no fewer than 27 aspirants are warming up to grab the party’s ticket.

Electoral umpire – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has asked the APC to replace its late candidate for the supplementary election scheduled for December 5.

Some of the aspirants on from the three senatorial districts are:  Alhaji Yahaya Bello, Senator Abatemi Usman, Alhaji Sanusi Abubakar (Gamji), Adinoyi Onukaba-Ojo and Sadiq Adaba (Kogi Central);  Suleiman Baba Ali, Otunba Suleiman Lanre, Dr Yakeen Abdullahi, Rotimi Obadofin, Olusola Olumoroti and Clarence Obafemi (Kogi West) and Sani Shu’aibu, Air Vice Marshal Atawodi Saliu,  Hadiza Ibrahim, Abdullahi Suleiman, Yakubu Mohammed, Senator Yahaya Ugbane, James Ocholi (SAN), Abutu Ejeh, Hussain Idris, Sunday Edibo, Dr. Tim Nda Diche, Aliyu Jiya, Alex Kadiri and Usman Mainyanga (Kogi East).

The fate of Bello and James Ocholi, who is the Minister of State for Labour & Productivity, was however unknown as at press time. It was also unclear if veteran journalist Yakubu Mohammed, rated as one of the morally upright aspirants, will be interested in the primaries.

When contacted, Abatemi said: “I am just hearing the pronouncement. We just did a quick evaluation of where we are and we have resolved that we will proceed to the field. I am contesting for the governorship ticket.”

Credit: Nation

Kogi Governorship Poll: Audu’s Supporters Push For Son As Replacement

There were strong indications on Wednesday that the campaign organisation of the late Kogi State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Abubakar Audu, was preparing a ground for the emergence of the deceased’s son, Mohammed, as a replacement for his father.

Audu died on Sunday, a few hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared the November 21 governorship poll in the state inconclusive.

The deceased had polled 240,867 votes in the election while the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate and incumbent state Governor, Capt. Idris Wada (retd.), scored 199,514 votes, leaving a gap of 41,353 votes between the two leading candidates in the election.

INEC had declared the election inconclusive on the grounds that cancelled votes or registered voters in the 91 polling units, where the exercise did not take place were 49,953, a figure higher than Audu’s lead of 41,353 votes.

A leader of the APC in the state, who confided in The Punch, said the dominant view in the organisation was that Mohammed should join the race.

It was gathered that a few members of the group had also suggested that Audu’s running mate in last Saturday’s election, Mr. James Faleke, should contest the primary.

It was gathered that members of the group, which dominates the APC in the state, met on Tuesday night following the party’s declaration that another primary would be held to produce a replacement for the late governorship candidate.

The commission had on Tuesday written the APC, directing it to submit a replacement for the late Audu while the party said it would hold a fresh primary to produce a replacement for the deceased APC standard bearer.

The APC leader, who confided in The Punch, said the late Audu’s political structure was still intact despite his death.

He stated that nobody could win the state governorship primary of the APC without the backing of Audu’s supporters.

The source said, “Abubakar Audu’s supporters, including his campaign structure, are rooting for either Audu’s son, Mohammed, or James Faleke for them not to lose out entirely. They are narrowing it to either Faleke or Mohammed because the APC machinery believes that the election has been won. But the party elders and leaders, who worked for him, will be more comfortable with Mohammed.

The spokesperson for the APC in Kogi State, Abdulmalik Suleiman, said, “We are mourning. This is the time for sober reflection and we are praying for our late leader and icon. At the appropriate time, the public will know because APC has a way of solving its issues and problems.”

One of our correspondents, however, learnt that despite the state of mourning in the party in the state, no fewer than four aspirants have started jostling to emerge as a replacement for Audu in the supplementary election on December 5.

These aspirants, it was learnt, included Faleke, who was Audu’s running mate in last Saturday’s poll; Yahaya Bello; a former PDP governorship aspirant, Jubrin Echocho, and Salihu Atawodi.

Punch

Kogi: Behold APC Candidates Likely Contending To Replace Audu

With the coast now clear for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use its discretion in nominating a suitable replacement for its late governorship candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu, based on the doctrine of necessity, indications emerged yesterday that the party may select its governorship candidate for the supplementary governorship election from among four choices.

By declaring yesterday that it will allow the APC to fill the vacuum created by the death of its governorship candidate in Kogi, it is obvious that INEC has heeded the call that the doctrine of necessity be adopted in the process on the grounds that the issue in Kogi is time-bound, since everything had been programmed by INEC to terminate at a specific time.

It was gathered that the party may pick from among James Ocholi (SAN), Isah Jibrin Echocho, Hon James Faleke and Alhaji Yahaya Bello as replacement for the late Audu.

Credit: Leadership

Anthony Ademiluyi: The Tragic End Of Prince Audu Abubakar

The nation was jolted on November 22nd, 2015 with the death of former two time governor of Kogi State and APC candidate for the 2015 gubernatorial elections, Prince Abubakar Audu. In a string of coincidence, that day marked the 52nd anniversary of the death of the charismatic former United States President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The only difference between the two deaths was that one was violent and the other was by natural causes.

Three possible reasons were adduced for his death which was rather untimely as he was on the verge of becoming a three time governor of the confluence state, a feat only achieved by Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim of Yobe state.

The first reason was that he was a victim of food poisoning as he was said to have vomited blood before dying.

The second was that he was hypertensive and vomited blood before he went to cast his vote in his hometown of Ogbonicha with the doctors having to give him a blood transfusion to give him the energy for the arduous trip. He returned home and started vomiting blood all over again.

The third was that his health had been failing for quite some time and may have died from complications from some serious medical condition which was not disclosed. His death was not sudden as he had been ill for quite some time.

Chinua Achebe in his treatise, “The Problem with Nigeria” put the failure of the Nigerian State squarely on that of leadership. He was meant to have been rushed to Abuja and then flown abroad for proper medical treatment before the inevitability of death played a fast one on them. Why can’t our leaders or rulers invest massively in our healthcare system? If Kogi state had a good healthcare system, there won’t have been any need to first take him to Abuja and then use that as a transit route to fly him abroad. Why wouldn’t death come when so much man hours had been wasted? What goes around seems to be coming around for our parasitic political class who have been worse than irresponsible with our enormous human and financial resources. Nemesis seems to be on the ruthless prowl. It has now become the norm for our rulers to meet their maker abroad. Billions of dollars is been transferred to the west and even India in form of health tourism because we have failed to get our axe together in the healthcare sector. It is a monumental shame that thousands of our doctors are servicing Western and Asian hospitals while ours have been left to deteriorate into something worse than mere consulting clinics apologies to the late General Sani Abacha. Former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alameiyeseigha also died in similar circumstances when there was no functional clinic in his hometown of Amassoma. By the time, he got to Port Harcourt; he had given up the ghost. There is no consideration for the hapless common man who can’t afford the medical bills of the West or even India. The largely inept National Health Insurance Scheme does not even cover the treatment of the cancer ailment which has been ravishing Nigerians in recent times. The irony is that it is the looted funds that is been used by the inhumane political elite to fund their medical expenses abroad.

Some of late Audu’s critics opined that at 68 and having being in Lord Lugard House twice, he had no business contesting again for the coveted office. I see nothing wrong in his taking a shot at the highly exalted office. It was his constitutional right to do so and age is not a barrier to seeking to lead the people. Madiba Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s President at 76, Ronald Reagan became the oldest American President at 69, Winston Churchill was back to Downing Street for the second time at 76, Golda Meir became the first female Prime Minister of the State of Israel at 71. There was nothing wrong with his aspiration but he owed a duty to the people of Kogi State whom he wanted to serve to disclose his health challenges. As a servant-leader, they deserved to know. It would then be left to them to decide if they could take a gamble with him. There should be a constitutional provision compelling intending public office holders to make a full disclosure of their medical history to avoid this ugly reoccurrence.

His death has plunged the state into controversy. Technically, he won the elections as he had higher votes than that of the incumbent, Captain Idris Wada. However, it was declared inconclusive because the voided votes were more than that of the difference between his and that of Wada’s. This is the first time a death of this nature is happening in the country and the constitution is silent on its implication. It has propped up legal fireworks and the controversy is something that would linger for a long time to come. The National Assembly has a huge job to do to ensure this lacuna is well covered.

Whoever becomes the next governor of the state should devote a huge chunk of the resources to revamping the healthcare sector. There is no big deal in having a well-equipped hospital devoted to heart ailments for instance to avoid needless deaths. A lesson from Audu’s death which should have as a lesson to all future governors is to ensure that the masses have a better deal especially with regard to the health care sector as health is wealth. The death of two former governors because of the health sector neglect has shown that a boomerang can be the price of non challance. Two deaths from the lack of vision should be enough lessons for the present occupants of the various government houses and a lesson in the ephemeral nature of power. At the end of the day, the filthy lucre wouldn’t save the beneficiary from the harsh verdict of posterity. The fast cars, posh houses, voluptuous women, choice food and wines would fade into cruel oblivion. What would matter would be the worthy and positive legacies left behind? Health is wealth goes the age-long aphorism. It won’t be a bad idea for our leaders to etch their names in the sands of time by ensuring their led get a better deal in healthcare services and avoid the shame of having to turn into mendicants to foot their bills.

May the soul of Prince Abubakar Audu rest in perfect peace!

Tony Ademiluyi

Views expressed are solely that of author and does not represent views of www.omojuwa.com nor its associates

APC Dumps Audu’s Running Mate, To Conduct Fresh Primaries

The All Progressives Congress, APC, on Tuesday announced that it would conduct fresh primaries to determine a replacement for its late candidate, Abubakar Audu, in the inconclusive governorship election in Kogi State.

Addressing journalists at the party’s national Secretariat in Abuja, the national chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, said delegates to the last primaries – which saw the emergence of the late candidate – would determine who becomes the candidate.

On the fate of Mr. Audu’s running-mate, James Faleke, the APC national chairman said it would be decided after conducting fresh primary election.

“As a party, we are going to proceed with process of organising primaries to provide a substitute candidate for the late Abubakar Audu,” the party chairman declared.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Kogi: INEC’s Decision In Order – Lawyer

A lawyer, Mr. Pat Anyadubalu, has endorsed the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to continue with its plan of conducting supplementary elections in 59 polling units instead of a state wide governorship election to resolve the constitutional logjam in Kogi.

Averring that supplementary polls is the surest legal way out of the crisis created by the death of Prince Abubakar Audu, the All Progressives Congress, APC governorship candidate, who was leading in the inconclusive polls held last Saturday,

Anyadubalu picked holes in suggestion that the Attorney General of the Federation should approach the Supreme Court for interpretation or the Alhaji Atiku Abubakar/Boni Haruna (Adamawa) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) instances should be applied.

His words: ”The Attorney –General of the Federation or the State has no locus standi to seek for the interpretation of this  issue at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court, being an appellate court, except in matters between States or between States and Federal Government, where it enjoys original jurisdiction.

”Again, Section 133(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended (referred herein after as “the Act”) says that no election or return at an election under this Act shall be questioned in any matter except by petition presented to the competent tribunal.

”Also section 181 of the 1999 constitution as amended is also not applicable because no person has been duly elected. Those who refer to Boni Haruna’s case are missing the point because Boni Haruna’s case is not on all fours with the present Kogi case.

In Boni Haruna’s case, the election had been concluded and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Boni Haruna were announced winners as Governor and Deputy Governor respectively unlike in the present case where nobody has been Rotimi Amaechi’s case is also inapplicable because, the Supreme Court’s decision in Amaechi’s case has been overruled through legislative enactment of section 141 of the Act, which provides that an election tribunal or court shall not under any circumstance declare any person a winner at an election in which such a person has not fully participated in all the stages of the said elections.

Another prominent view expressed by some legal practitioners is that the entire process should be cancelled and the election commenced a fresh.

” This is also laced with another bottleneck because section 68(1)( c) of the Act provides that a declaration of scores of candidates shall be final subject to review by a tribunal or court in an election petition proceedings under this Act, therefore INEC has no power to annual or cancel any result already announced.

Okorocha Denies Accusing Tinubu, Others For Killing Audu

Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday denied having a quarrel with Senator Bola Tinubu, saying the envisaged rift only exists in the imaginations of those who have chosen the path of dishonour.

Governor Okorocha, who was reacting to a report published in a social media on Sunday, claiming that he accused Senator Tinubu and other APC members of being responsible for the death of the APC governorship candidate in Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, described such claim as “ungodly blackmail.”

The governor said in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuameodo, that the envisaged rift between Senator Tinubu and himself “only exists in the imaginations of those who have chosen the path of dishonor, because only dishonourable people could have authored such an inglorious write-up. Decent people do not do such thing.”

The governor said he never accused the former governor of Lagos State and one of the key pillars of the APC in the country, Senator Tinubu, of being responsible for the death of the APC governorship candidate in Kogi State, Prince Audu.

Credit: NationalMirror

Audu Died A Talented, Courageous Politician – President Buhari

THE polity was awash with tributes, yesterday, for the first civilian governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, who died on Sunday. Before his death, Prince Audu, who contested last Saturday’s governorship election on the plank of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was on the verge of being elected for the third time as governor of Kogi. He was leading his closest challenger, Governor Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with over 40,000 votes until the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared the polls inclusive and said there would be supplementary elections in 59 polling units which have 49,000 registered voters.

Audu’s death, which has created a constitutional crisis because the Constitution and the Electoral Act did not envisage that a candidate could die during an election, also threw the nation into mourning.abubakar

I’m devastated – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, expressed shock over the news of Abubakar Audu’s death, saying he was personally devastated by the sad development.

President Buhari, who is currently attending the Third Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Tehran, Iran, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, described  Audu as a talented politician, a loving family head and a respected community leader.

“He was immensely courageous. President Buhari condoles with the family of the late governor, the government and people of Kogi State as well as all our party members, men and women who stood with Audu in his bid to return as governor. He ran as the favorite in the election as the early results have clearly shown.”

PDP Expresses Shock Over Prince Abubakar Audu’s Death

Read the press statement from the PDP below…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is shocked by the news of the sudden death of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last Saturday’s Kogi state governorship election, Prince Abubakar Audu. At this critical moment, the PDP refrains from comments on the conduct of the election. That is not important now. What is important at this point is the sanctity of human life.

Our deepest thoughts and prayers go to the family of Prince Abubakar Audu and indeed, the APC fold. On this note, the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince
Uche Secondus, charges all PDP members in Kogi and across the nation to keep Prince Audu, his family and loved ones in their prayers, as we mourn with them and the people of Kogi state over this monumental loss.

Signed: Chief Olisa Metuh
National Publicity Secretary

Lawyers To INEC: Death Of APC Candidate Does Not Invalidate Election

Lawyers yesterday told the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) that the death of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) does not invalide the on-going election in the state.

They urged INEC to allow the deputy governorship candidate of the APC, Abiodun Faleke, to conclude the on-going election.

The former Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, Monday Ubani; a member of the Ogun State Judiciary Service Commission, Abayomi Omoyinmi and a lecturerý of Law at University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Wahab Shittu said the process should be concluded.

Ubani said: “Since the Electoral Act didn’t specifically provide for things like this happening in the course of an election, we would have to make recourse to the judicial pronouncement in the case of Rotimi Amaechi where the Supreme Court said in an election, it is the political party that is the beneficiary of election and not the candidate. That is why Amaechi that didn’t contest elections was sworn in.

“In this situation, the deputy governorship candidate would have to step in to conclude the process. If he wins the election, the APC would then decide on another deputy for him”.

According to Ubani, the time to choose a candidate through primary election had lapsed for all the political parties and it is not possible for any of the parties to go for primaries anymore.

Omoyinmi said: “In the eyes of the law, the deputy should ordinarily conclude the re-run election for the office of the governor and it is now left for him to pick a new running mate”.

Omoyinmi said the kind of situation in Kogi was not envisaged.

Shittu said the matter could be viewed from different perspectives.

Shittu said since the election was declared inconclusive, the running mate should be allowed to step in and conclude the process of the supplementary election.

This, he said, has become necessary because the electoral law did not envisage such an incident–Audu’s death.

On the other perspective, he said since it is the ýparty that fields the candidate, and that since the election has turned this way, the party would have to replace the governorship candidate.

“Which means that election might be conducted afresh. The death of a candidate during the process of an election automatically voids the election. It is not a question of an election being inconclusive. The entire electoral process is now altered with the death of the governorship candidate,” he said.

Constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Malam Yusuf Ali said the situation in Kogi is “very complex, because the election has been declared inconclusive”.

He said: “If he had won the election outright, it would have been a different matter, but with the way things are, it is very delicate.”

Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) said: “There can be fresh election. INEC can only conduct supplementary election in the 91 polling units. The death of Audu cannot nullify the election. It was APC that contested the governorship election not Audu as an individual.”

Akintola explained that it is left to the APC to pick another candidate from among those that contested the governorship primary with Audu or ask the deputy governorship candidate, James Faleke to take over.

“The decision lies with the APC,” he added.

The presidential candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP) in the last general elections, Chief Chekwas Okorie, said it was a very shocking development that threw everybody off-balance.

He said: “ From every indication, it is a political party that wins an election; the result so far released suggests that the people of Kogi State are favourably disposed to an APC government to be in-charge of affairs in the next four years. What it therefore means is that the APC still has a chance, even his death, to govern the state, based on the result already declared.

“So, they should follow up the supplementary election with the same atmosphere of peace that we witnessed in last Saturday’s election. If their choice is the APC, then let the APC rule them in the next four years.”

Protesters Storm APC Secretariat Over Audu’s Emergence In Kogi

Dozens of placard-carrying protesters on Wednesday besieged the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress to protest against the emergence ?of Abubakar Audu as the party’s governorship candidate.
Audu defeated 27 other contestants to emerge as the party’s flag bearer in the forthcoming Kogi State governorship election.
While the candidate was waiting to collect his certificate of return, scores of protesters, carrying placards, stormed the gate of the secretariat, urging the party to get a credible candidate to fly its flag.
Some of the placards had such inscriptions like ?’Kogi State say no to Audu’, ‘We need a credible leader’, ‘APC, do the right thing’.
Read Morepunchng

Graft Suspect, Audu Emerges APC’s Kogi Flagbearer

Former Governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, on Sunday received the nod of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to seek a return to the office he had occupied twice.

He is currently being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged contract scams totaling N10 billion.

After a landslide victory at the election primaries of the party, Audu pledged to repeat the feat at the coming election in the state. He also pledged to run an all-inclusive government and invest in critical infrastructure for the benefits of the state.

Read More: dailytimes