Crisis Rocks Kogi APC as Aspirants Reject ‘Imposed’ Candidates
Tension is mounting within the Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as aggrieved aspirants raise concerns over the alleged imposition of candidates ahead of the party’s primaries scheduled to hold in the coming days.
Findings by our correspondent indicate that a stakeholders’ meeting for Kogi West Senatorial District was convened on Monday at the instance of the State Security Adviser, retired Commander Jerry Omodara, at his residence in the GRA.
The meeting reportedly drew a large number of government appointees and party chieftains but excluded all aspirants.
Sources at the meeting disclosed that Omodara, who was said to have addressed participants on behalf of the state government, announced former House of Representatives member from Yagba, Samuel Bamidele Aro, as the consensus candidate for the Kogi West Senate seat.
Also announced were Hon. Leke Abejide, the incumbent lawmaker representing Yagba Federal Constituency who recently defected from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Architect Salman Idris, representing Kabba/Bunu–Ijumu Federal Constituency, as consensus candidates for the House of Representatives.
Suleiman Aguye, representing Lokoja/Kogi Federal Constituency, was similarly named as the consensus candidate for the zone.
It was further gathered that the endorsement motions were seconded by key government officials, including the Commissioner for Innovation, Madam Helen, on behalf of Ijumu; the Commissioner for Education, Wemi Jones, for Bunu District; the Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Abubakar Bashir Gegu, for Koton-Karfe; and the Commissioner for Water Resources on behalf of Yagba.
However, the process did not go unchallenged. A stakeholder at the meeting reportedly objected strongly to the endorsements, describing them as a clear case of imposition capable of destabilizing the party.
The objection was said to have been ignored as the meeting ended abruptly.
The dissenting voice also questioned the dominance of government appointees, particularly members of the State Executive Council, at the meeting, alleging that their presence sidelined party leaders and suppressed broader consultation.
Meanwhile, the development is believed to have complicated the political prospects of Senator Sunday Karimi, whose bid for a return to the Senate may have suffered a setback amid reported disagreements with the state leadership over his advocacy for a governorship power shift to Kogi West,a district that has yet to produce a governor since the state’s creation 35 years ago.
Reacting to the development, several aspirants who spoke with our correspondent described the exercise as “despicably confounding and self-serving,” alleging that it lacked fairness and transparency despite the significant resources they had invested in obtaining nomination forms.
The aspirants further accused the state government of manipulating the process to favour certain interests, noting that no prior notice or formal briefing was given before the meeting from which they were excluded.
They warned that the APC risks losing the senatorial seat and some House of Representatives positions if candidates perceived as unpopular are imposed on the party.
Despite their grievances, the aspirants expressed readiness to participate in the primaries, insisting that they remain committed to the democratic process.
