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Recommends Omede,Ubolo,Erico For PDP
Mohammed Audu,Ogah,Admiral Jibrin Usman Made The List For APC
The palpable political uncertainty surrounding Kogi east may not end too soon,as the committe of elders from the area,Kogi East Elders Council (KEEC) has endorsed some aspirants while disqualifying others from the forthcoming November governorship contest In Kogi
Notable aspirants like former Governor Idris Wada,Senator Nicholas Yahaya Ugbane,Abubakar Ibrahim Idris and others, did not get the nod to run for the November contest from PDP
In the ruling All Progressive Progressive Congress(APC), were the contest was shrouded in fears and intimidation to challenge the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello,three notable figures including son of former Governor Abubakar Audu,Professor Saidu Ogah, and Admiral Jibrin Usman,immediate past Naval chief was giving a clean slate to run
The controversial decision of the committee known for mediating among contestants to various political offices from the area, had been a source of nightmare and political misfortune of popular aspirants from the area in the recent elections
Sources close to other aspirants within the contending parties, had passed a vote of no confidence on the committee,saying it lacks the power to take such decisions, and at the same time,not binding on the political figures and aspirants
Another aspirant said the committee promised to be advisory on the keenly contested position to kogi governor from the area,only to turn round from the original intention by doing things in its own way
This development is capable of pitching the candidates from various political parties from the area against each other,which will further mar the chances of reclaiming the governorship slot to the area,by enhancing the chances of the incumbent governor,and other likely contenders from Kogi west senatorial district, like Senator Daniel(Dino),Melaye and others
The KEEC has created alot of confusion through its unilateral and controversial decisions that had not gone done well with stakeholders and encourages lack of confidence on the committee in the last few years
Recently it was accused and enmeshed in confidence crises after introducing a needless pre-screenig fee of 150,000 per aspirants to fulfil all the screening requirements of the committee in Abuja, at the residence of the chairman,Senator Dr Ahmadu Ali
This culminated into many aspirants boycotting the Abuja meeting and subsequently the one held in Anyigba, to endorse some aspirants of the two notable party’s
Another sources also impressed that the committee was armed with a premeditated decision to impose a single candidate from Idah axis, that was jettisoned along the line for fear of balkanisation of the interest of Kogi easterners
With the decision of KEEC,it is now clear that the area may be heading to a political logjam and extinction, that may likely pave way for the current governor,or contestants from other senatorial district, using a bulk vote to coarse to possible victory in August and likely November gubernatorial elections .
One of the aspirants who spoke anonymously described committee as a mere joke, questioning the source of Ahmodu Ali power.
One of the aspirants from Idah Federal Constituency alleged that the committee collected money from those cleared wondering how can Idris Omede who served under Wada be cleared and Wada not disqualified ? those left us with so many questions, vowed to continue with his campaign with full assurance of victory at the PDP Primaries.
