The Governorship Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), for the November 11, Governorship election in Kogi State, Hon. Leke Abejide has denied playing a part in the purported endorsement of a common candidate from both Kogi West and Central. He described the report that he participated in the shadows as “a lie from the pit of hell”.
Report that he (Abejide) in conjunction with unidentified indigenes from Kogi West and Central Senatorial Districts “ghostly” endorsed a rival candidate in Dino Melaye, his People’s Democratic Party (PDP), opponent was rather unlikely and absurd.
It will be recalled that a faceless group, which identified itself as “Kogi State Central and West Forum” claiming to be a body comprising of notable indigenes of Kogi Central and West senatorial districts of Kogi State, reportedly endorsed Senator Dino Melaye, candidate of the PDP as the consensus candidate for the November 11 governorship election in the state.
The group in the contended report claimed it had invited the PDP candidate, Melaye, the ADC candidate, Hon Leke Abejide and the Action Alliance (AA) candidate, Mr Olayinka Braimoh for an interview exercise that should guide the hierarchy and members of the forum on which of the candidates best suited for the Forum’s endorsement.
The report added that at the close of the exercise, neither known nor brought to the notice of Hon Leke Abejide, votes were dubiously allocated to give some candidates a headstart.
“With due respect to the highly revered names mentioned as collaborators in the ill-fated endorsement of Senator Dino Melaye as a consensus candidate by the so-called Kogi Central and West Forum, I hereby dissociate myself and my political party (ADC) from the episode.
“Any decision to endorse a consensus candidate was unlikely and absurd to the extent that, my name dubiously was mired in the charade, to give some life to the ill-fated endorsement”.
Hon Abejide attributed the purported endorsement report as the handwork of “cheap politicians that will not stand the test of times”.
“I remain the candidate to beat, and by God’s grace the next governor of Kogi State. The purported endorsement of another candidate is not known to us in Leke Abejide and ADC camps, we know nothing about it, and we are not aware because no such information got to us. The publication is one with no iota of truth, is nothing but the handwork of cheap, desperate politicians who are afraid of our gracious popularity”, he said.
