APC Replaces Late Audu With Yahaya Bello

The drama of who replaces late Abubakar Audu as the governorship
candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi state has been put
to rest after the party named Yahaya Bello on Saturday.

The national chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who was in
Kogi announced the decision of the party to pick Bello who came second
in the primary.

James Faleke who was running mate of late Audu will keep his place as
deputy to Bello.

Reacting to the choice of Bello, Dr Tom Ohikere, head of media,
Abubakar Audu/James Faleke Campaign Organisation, described the
decision to replace the late Audu with Bello, who came second in the
primary as "illegal and moral burden" on Oyegun and other members of
the national working committee.

It would be recalled that late Prince Audu, who was waiting to be
declared the winner of the governorship election was instead declared
dead.

Audu was from the results declared by the INEC, from the 21 local
councils in the state, had won 16 and was clearly ahead of the PDP
opponent and incumbent, Idris Wada.

But INEC declared the election inconclusive, despite projections by
the media that he had won. A lesson to the media not to project
election results again.

According to results declared by the Returning Officer, Emmanuel Kucha
(Vice-Chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi), Audu
scored 240,867 while Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party
garnered 199,514 votes.

Mr. Kucha said the margin of votes between Messrs Audu and Wada is 41,353.

And he declared that the election was inconclusive because the total
number of registered voters in 91 polling units, in 18 local
government areas, where election was cancelled is 49,953.

He said by INEC guideline, no return could be made for the election
until supplementary election is held in areas where election was
cancelled.

-PMNews