National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress, to protest
against the emergence of Abubakar Audu as the party's governorship
candidate.
Audu defeated 27 other contestants to emerge as the party's standard
bearer for the Kogi State governorship election on November 21.
While the candidate was waiting to collect his certificate of return,
scores of protesters carrying placards stormed the gate of the
secretariat, urging the party to get a credible candidate for the
governorship poll.
Some of the placards had inscriptions which read, "Kogi State says no
to Audu," "We need a credible leader," and "APC, do the right thing."
The APC candidate, however, dismissed the protesters as "noise makers"
who lacked electoral value.
The leader of the protesters, who gave his name as Sulaiman Mohammed,
told newsmen that the people of the state deserved better candidate
than Audu.
According to him, the ex-governor should go and clear himself of the
corruption charges levelled against him by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission before seeking to govern the state again. Audu had
served as the state governor between 1992 and 1993. He was re-elected
in 1999 but lost his re-election bid in 2003.
Mohammed said, "We are here to protest against the candidature of
Prince Abubakar Audu, under the platform of the APC for the
forthcoming governorship election in Kogi State.
"We say no to Abubakar Audu because he has a N11bn corruption case
with the EFCC. Until he clears himself of the case, he has no moral
right to present himself for an election.
"The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has declared war
against corruption. We, the concern citizens of Kogi State are in
support of the President's anti-corruption move. We want to toe the
line of the APC change mantra and we would not support Audu because of
his alleged corruption cases."
Reacting, Audu told newsmen after collecting his Certificate of
Return, that the charges against him were mere allegations.
He also noted that the fact that the EFCC was pursuing a case against
an individual did not mean the person is a criminal.
He argued that even some senators had cases with the EFCC but that did
not translate into criminality.
Audu said, "Ninety per cent of people in the Senate have cases with
the EFCC. For the fact that you have a case with the EFCC does not
make you a criminal.
"I have contested four different elections since 2007 and I was not
disqualified. So what are they talking about? I contested in 2003,
2007 and 2011, what are they talking?
"The cases had been with the EFCC since 2003 and since then I have
been contesting election. It is those that do not have electoral value
that are making noise and using cheap means to discredit me, it is a
very unfortunate situation.
"EFCC has so far gone to four different courts in Lokoja and when I
want to get judgment they will quickly go to another court and restart
the case. They are shopping for where they will nail me.
"This country's constitution states that one is presumed innocent
until a court proves him guilty. They are the mischief makers."
The spokesman for the Senate, Senator Dino Melaye, could not be
reached for comments on the protest as he had yet to return from the
United Nation's Headquarters in New York.
-PUNCH
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