A group of youth in the Kogi State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kogi Alliance For Good Governance, has frowned at the outcome of the Senator Hope Uzodimma-led committee that screened the sixteen aspirants, who have signified interest in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
The group described the result as biased and unjust, “which could lead to the failure of the party at the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.”
Recall that the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole Wednesday, August 21, 2019, inaugurated the Kogi State’s screening committee, headed by Senator Hope Uzodimma. The committee commenced the exercise the following day at the state Secretariat of the party started at 10:00 a.m. and went on till late in the night.
According to a release, signed by its President, Yakubu Adinoyi, and made available to ReportersAtLarge the group accused the screening committee of bias and double standards for each of the aspirants.
“Some of the cleared aspirants ran foul of the same offence taken against some of the non-cleared aspirants. For instance, Governor Yahaya Bello has double dates of birth and double voter’s registration cards to the extent that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sacked three staff.
“This is a clear case of injustice. It is could lead to the failure of our great party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election. It appeared that the committee screened out aspirants who could easily defeat Governor Bello in the August 29 gubernatorial primary election.”
Four out of the 16 aspirants screened were cleared by the committee, as contained in the report, signed by the members of the committee – Senator Hope Uzodimma (Chairman); Senator Abdullahi Gumel (Member); Hon. Bernard Mikko (Member); Hon. Stella Okotete (Member); Maj. Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe (rtd) and Dr Adamu Abba (Secretary). Below is the report of the screening:
- Yahaya Bello – Cleared
- Prof. Mohammed Seidu Onailo – Not Cleared.
- Usman Oyibe Jibrin – Not Cleared.
- Mustapha Mona Audu – Not Cleared.
- Hadiza Iyoma Ibrahim – Not Cleared.
- Yahaya Odidi Audu – Not Cleared.
- Sani Lulu Abdullahi – Not Cleared.
- Gen. Patrick Adenu Akpa (Rtd) – Not Cleared.
- Alhaji Abubakar Bashir – Cleared.
- Engr. Danlami Umar Mohammed – Not Cleared.
- Yakubu Mohammed – Not Cleared.
- Ekele Aishat Blessing – Cleared.
- Babatunde Ayokunle Irukera – Not Cleared.
- Rukkaya Ibrahim – Not Cleared.
- Mohammed Abubakar Unekwu Audu – Not Cleared.
- Hassan Abdullahi – Cleared.
Part of the reasons for disqualifying the aspirants includes an invalid declaration of age, not being a financial member of the party, not being registered at the ward level, invalid membership card, unsigned and invalid nomination and spending of less than one year in the party and without a waiver.
The group then enjoined the leadership of the ruling party to review the report of the screening committee and ensure justice is done, saying “this would go a long way to mend the broken walls in the party in the state and save the party from the imminent failure which the just concluded screening could cause the party at the forthcoming poll.”
Then group then commended one of the aspirants, Vice Admiral Usman Jibril, for his immense contributions to the development of Kogi State.
“It is quite unfortunate that aspirants who could ensure the success of our great party, APC at the forthcoming gubernatorial election and also propel the expected development in our dear state, were screened out.
“Of note is the laudable contributions of Vice-Admiral Jibril to the development of Kogi State. Though he was screened out, we would like to enjoin him not to be perturbed by this injustice and biased screening. The good people of Kogi State are not ignorants of his contributions, hence they are solidly behind him.”
The group, however, enjoined the delegate in the forthcoming APC gubernatorial primary election to consider the interest of the party and the good people the state over individual interests.
