Worried by the dwindling political fortune of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, some stakeholders, under the aegis of Kogi Rescue Group, have urged the party's national leadership to address the drift and reposition the party for future polls.
The stakeholders said this on the heels of last week's announcement by the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the November 2 date for the governorship election in the Confluence State.
In a statement by Alhaji Yusuf Mohammed Idah, they cautioned against using the results of the recently-conducted general election to rate the APC in the state, adding that only the presidential election, which was won by President Muhammadu Buhari, truly reflected the ruling party's status in the state.
"The question is; what the status of APC in Kogi state today? During the general election, it won seven House of Representatives out of nine in the state. It lost the West senatorial and two seats of the House in the National Assembly elections; while the ADC and the PDP won the two seats in the House of Representatives in Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopa Amuro and Kabba Bunu/Ijumu Federal constituencies. APC, however, won in Lokoja/Koton Federal Constitueny. President Buhari also won the election in the state.
"In the state House of Assembly election, APC won all the 25 seats available. The Assembly election was allegedly marred by serious violence and there were guns everywhere. Fake army in SARS uniform were used by thugs to intimidate voters, the stakeholders said.
They described as unfortunate, Governor Yahaya Bello frustrating every move to genuinely reconcile aggrieved members of the party since he took the saddle; as beneficiary of the Audu/Faleke election, which was declared inconclusive by INEC.
"The NWC, on its part, must, as a matter of urgency, call the old warring factions of Hon. James Faleke-led group and that of GYB to a roundtable and agree on the way forward for the party in the state. Remove Hon. James Faleke from the equation and APC will be served the Adamawa and Bauchi dishes," the group said.
i hope they will agree.