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Ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi State, key stakeholders of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have frowned at the purported endorsement of indirect primaries for candidates jostling for the governorship ticket of the party.
The spokesperson of the aspirants of the party, Ben Adaji, who spoke with journalists yesterday in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, said the purported endorsement of indirect primaries was a decision of the governor and his handpicked appointees and does not reflect the collective position of the people.
According to Adaji, the people of Kogi State are in dire need of credible leader who would work to restore the glory of the state and not take any kind of imposition of candidate in the people.
“Any attempt to impose the incumbent governor on the party, as stated by him, would be suicidal for the party and may result in the replication of the Zamfara State experience for the party.
“We the forum of aspirants under the platform of the APC in Kogi State want to state clearly that the purported endorsement of indirect primaries in the state is the decision of Governor Yahaya Bello and his handpicked appointees who are under oath to make sure that he gets the ticket of the party.
“As critical stakeholders who worked tirelessly for the success of the party in the state, we reject this in its totality. Kogi State is bleeding and the people deserve a chance to choose a leader of their choice. Any form of imposition of candidate on the people could have grave consequences for the party in the state.
“We, therefore, call on the national secretariat of the party to make sure that the needful is done and the people are allowed to choose their leaders. For our great party to retain power, it is imperative that the people are allowed to choose a candidate they want through direct primaries,” Adaji said.
He, therefore, admonished the party members to remain calm, as the forum, according to him, would tread all legitimate paths to thwart the dream of imposing a governorship candidate on the party.